No one knows more than West Texans that it takes a lot to be a high school athlete. Perseverance, determination and a whole lot of confidence, are descriptors that usually comes to mind.
But unlike his teammates, Roman Arenivar is helping lead the Brownfield Cubs to victory with just one arm.
“It feels great to be there on the field, playing there in front of a bunch of people,” Arenivar said.
He suits up and hits the field with the rest of his teammates every day after school. He practices with the offensive line where he said his coaches have them do drills frequently to make them faster and quicker on their feet.
This season, Arenivar was moved up to first string, where he’s started every game for the Cubs so far.
But the remarkable thing about Arenivar is that he keeps up with his teammates, all while facing a disability.
“When I get down on myself, they bring me back up, they keep working with me,” he said about his teammates.
Arenivar said he was born with the bottom half of his right forearm and hand missing. And although there’s been many challenges along the way, he said he’s overcome all of them.
Arenivar wants to help bring the Cubs to victory. His eyes are set on the district title and beyond.
“I want to win districts and do good in the playoffs,” he said. “Get up there and show we can do it. They underestimate us. We need to prove them wrong.”
Arenivar said he’s used to people underestimating him, even sharing stories of other players’ reactions when they see his arm.
“They expect me to be to do bad, and I just surprise them,” he said. “They underestimate me. So, they see a disadvantage to them, and to me, I see an advantage.”
Arenivar said his family is a huge support system for him and has always encouraged him to chase his dreams.
“They tell me not to quit,” he said “They say, ‘You’re no different than anyone else. You can do anything others can do.'”
On Friday nights, he of course is hoping for a win, but also hopes he can change people’s ideas about sports and disability.
“I’m just excited to show them what I can really do and surprise them,” he said. “It doesn’t faze me, I just have to work harder.”
