COLUMBUS, Ohio — Beechcroft High School Junior Rosean Burns had a medical issue at 8-months-old, but it hasn’t stopped him from playing and excelling in sports.
“It’s always competitive, to board games, to singing, dancing — you always just want to win,” said Burns, 16, about his seven siblings.
The Beechcroft High School Junior said his competitive juices are always flowing, helping to fuel his fire both on the football field and basketball court as he continues to provide inspiration to teammates and fans alike.
“It makes me feel great, makes me feel like I’m proving that everybody can do it, do what you can do, follow your dream,” says Burns.
Burns, or as his teammates call him, “Ro,” was born with a blood clot in his right shoulder, that was limiting blood flow to his hand.
Doctors make the tough and only choice they could: to amputate his hand when he was only 8-months-old.
Burns said he’s always drawn inspiration from former Seahawks and Dolphins linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who is the only one-handed player in NFL history.
Beyond the 24 points per game this season, with a high of 31, Burns is still determined to continue getting better.
“Every time you’re laying down, there’s always somebody going in the gym harder than you’re going. It felt like it was a regular game until I went to the locker room, and they said guess how much you had, and it was that much. If I constantly make all my free throws, it will be like that every game,” said Burns.
Burns’ head coach, Humphrey Simmons, has led the Cougars for the past 13 seasons, and in 2020, they captured the City League North Division.
Although it’s a down year for the team, Simmons said he isn’t surprised by Burns’ success this season—his first at Beechcroft after transferring from Westerville Central.
“He has sent me a text before games or when he’ll see me in the hallway, he said, ‘coach, it’s going to be a big night tonight.’ So I said, ‘I’ve got you, I’ve got you.’ And you know he leaves everything out there on the court. The inspiration that he’s given to his teammates, man, it’s like yo, if Ro can do it, I can do it,” said Simmons.
“It was something I’ve never seen before from anybody like him. When he steps on the field, he’s always confident. And after you see him catch a pass or run a ball, we knew like, we could throw him in the fire. He could make plays for us,” said teammate Khalil Samuel.
Burns looks forward to running track and playing running back and defense for the football team this fall.
He’s well aware of his role as a leader, role model and the legacy he wants to leave behind. When asked what he wants people to say about him after he leaves Beechcroft, Burns didn’t hesitate.
“That he was a hard worker and never gave up,” said Burns.
Burns said his dream is to one day follow in Shaquem Griffin’s footsteps as the second one-handed player in NFL history.
