Wednesday, September 29th 2021, 8:14 am
Jasen Bracy, a 15-year-old starting quarterback, has a clear vision of what it takes to win on the field, even though he'll never see it with his own eyes.
Bracy developed retinal cancer as a toddler. By the time he turned 7, his sight was gone.
He liked other sports, but he really wanted to play football. His parents' response: "No way!" said his dad, who is also named Jasen Bracy. "How is this going to be possible for him to get out there and play?"
Eventually, Bracy became his own agent. "Once he got his own phone, he figured how to call the teams around the area and started asking the coaches," his dad said.
"The way he was on the phone, I just said, 'Come on we'll figure it out,'" said David Nichols, coach for the Modesto Raiders.
Bracy memorized every play and where every player is supposed to be. He did so well the coach made him quarterback. "It's all memory. It's all about having trust in the player, the receiver and the team," Bracy said. "I have to trust them 100%."
His dad guides him from the sidelines with a walkie talkie, which Bracy can hear through his helmet.
"I don't even want a team to know that I can't see because they might ease up on me," he said.
He recently led the Raiders to a victory against one of the teams that turned him down. He said his ultimate goal is to make it all the way to the NFL.
First published on September 28, 2021 / 7:00 PM
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