LUMBERTON, Texas — Lumberton football’s offensive line may appear like a typical high school football line from the stands, but if you look closely you’ll find number 70 Tristan Johnson.
“Whenever I was little, in like the sixth grade, I want to play football, but I was like a little scared at first and then I found out my dad played, and I was like you know I kind of wanna get into football,” said Johnson.
The senior toes the line to block defenders as any other tackle would but he does it with one arm.
“It was a birth defect with my mom called anionic band syndrome, and then I was born in one arm," said Johnson. "Basically, I’ll use my right hand to grab on to their pads and then I’ll use my nub to get underneath their pads and kind of push ‘em. They say it hurts a lot. I just keep on doing that and it works.”
Johnson’s personalized version of the game has proven to be effective for the Raiders.
“We don’t alter anything," said Raider head coach James Reyes. "The kid does everything you ask him to do. He never complains. He’s got some limitations, but he’s got no limitations in here. He does everything we ask him to squat, bench, clean, all our auxiliary lifts he does. On the football field we don’t change anything. He jumps in there and does it just like anybody else.”
Johnson suits up on Friday nights under the lights to encourage others to break their limits.
“I’ll hear the other player saying like ‘Wow this guys had one arm. He’s playing with one arm,’ and then I got there I just play my hardest and they’re like ‘wow,’” said Johnson. “There are a few things that do hold me back, but I just try to work past that and do my best, and like other things, and then learn from my flaws.”
Once Johnson graduates he says he wants to go to college to become a teacher and a coach, so he can continue to mentor younger generations.