As a child, it was a dream for Joe Martel III to play recreational football. The only problem was that he had no legs.

Joe has a rare condition known as Tibia Imobilia in which he was born with no shin bones. Before he was two years old, knowing that he would never be able to walk with his legs, Joe’s parents decided it was best if he had his legs amputated. That did not stop him, however, from achieving his dream, as he has been playing football since he was in kindergarten.

Now, as a freshman at Beggs High School in Oklahoma, he plays on the Junior Varsity team and occasionally on the Varsity team. According to the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, Joe is believed to be the first double amputee to play football in the country.

Joe says his motivation is to become somewhat of a role model for people. He stated on an interview with Fox News, “If I can do it, they can do it.” Hopefully this acts as a message to others that nothing can stop you if you put your mind to something that you want to accomplish.

Joe’s coaches and family are very proud of what he has done and say they wouldn’t change anything about it. His coaches even stated that he is just as motivated as his other teammates and it brings tears to their eyes every time that he does simple tasks like running stadium steps.

“He never has any excuses,” they marvel. Martel also enjoys playing other sports like baseball and basketball, but in his mind, football is the best. All in all, he hopes to be an inspiration to future generations, reminding them that if they work hard to accomplish a goal, nothing can stand in their way.