Teen Athlete Refuses To See Limitations

CBS News: Legally Blind High School Student Excels In Basketball And Inspires Teammates

(CBS)  At El Toro High School outside Los Angeles, 18-year-old Jimmy Albright stands out. With a 4.0 GPA, he's at the top of his senior class - and at 6 foot 6, he towers over his teammates.

But that's not all that stands out about Jimmy, reports CBS News’ Brandon Scott. Jimmy is legally blind - one of just about 3,000 Americans with a condition called Aniridia. Born without irises, his eyes are just pupils. He can't see what's written on the board. To see what's written in his book, his face nearly touches the page. Yet Jimmy excels - even on the basketball court.

A starting center, he's a defensive force. And despite his limited vision, still averages around 6 points a game.

“I guess I just haven't accepted the limits,” Jimmy said.

That's how Jimmy lives his life - without limits - refusing to let his condition eclipse his success. He pushed his team to their seventh straight league championship.

“The boys look at him and they say, ‘Well if he can do it, I can do it,’” said Jimmy’s coach Todd Dixon. “He inspires us all.”

But Jimmy doesn’t see himself as an inspiration.

“Everyone seems amazed by me, and to me, it's just basketball,” he said. “Just second nature. If you want something, you just got to go for it. Just give it your all.”

Jimmy and his team lost in the playoffs. But that didn't get him down. The very next day, he traded his basketball for a microphone, and took his message of determination to the airwaves. He told his story on a Los Angeles sports radio show. Sports psychologist Dr. Casey Cooper was impressed.

“What may be a paralyzing experience to one family or athlete is motivation to another. And it has to do with this intangible resiliency,” Cooper said. “And he's got it.”

Jimmy said the resiliency comes from his family.

“My parents just said you can do whatever you want to do,” he said.

Indeed, his mom is one of his biggest supporters.

“Jim is so talented in so many ways that God kind of balanced it by taking away part of his eye sight,” said Jimmy’s mom, Trisa Albright.

“I hope people just learn not to accept limitations,” Jimmy said. “Even if you think something's standing in your way.”

Nothing, it seems, stands in his.

[spiritwalk]

?Jim is so talented in so many ways that God kind of balanced it by taking away part of his eye sight,? said Jimmy?s mom, Trisa Albright.
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Why does God do so much for the blind, but nothing for amputees?

God helps the blind, helps the deaf to hear and even raises the dead. But if you lose a limb you are on your own. Plenty of new eyes, but nobdoy has ever gotten a new leg.

Why does God hate amputees?

[lovin-my-life]

WOW! It is nice to see such good news and something POSITIVE on here. He is a REAL role model. I am dsiabled and have had people tell me I can get disability so I don't have to work. My mother always taught me I am only as limited as I choose to be. I am more sucessful than some of my friends without disabilities. My sense of determination outweighs my disabilities. I am a wife, mom & college educated professional. There are those that cry disability as an excuse to give up and those of us who dare the rest of the world to try and tell me I can't.............

[GODSnLIBERALS]

good for him!!

some people would use this as an excuse to leech off everybody.