Follow US EB-5 Immigration and Life in the US: Do you remember Zach Hodskins, the one-armed teenager who scored 31 points in an American high school league game? Six months ago, the video of Hodskins playing basketball received over 3 million views on YouTube, and he has been hailed as a new generation of inspirational icons in the United States. Yesterday, Hodskins announced on his Twitter that he has accepted an invitation from the University of Florida to spend his college years there. If all goes as planned, the "One-Armed Brother" will represent the University of Florida team on the NCAA court in the 2014-2015 season—the "One-Armed Brother" has finally seen his dream of playing in the college league come true.
Standing over 1.8 meters tall with a fair and handsome appearance, if one ignores his physical disability, Hodskins, who comes from a well-off family, could certainly be considered a representative of the "tall, rich, and handsome" archetype. However, fate played a trick on him, as he was born without the part of his left arm below the elbow.
From a very young age, Hodskins was fascinated by various sports: he first loved soccer, then became obsessed with baseball, basketball, surfing, and more... "All sports require hands. I know my disadvantages, so I just have to try a few more times. If others do it once, I do it twice or three times until I master it," Hodskins said. Relying on the small stump of his left arm and a highly skilled right arm, Hodskins found confidence on the basketball court. With his coordinated jump shots, elusive between-the-legs and behind-the-back dribbling, and flexible pivots, he could move through opponents with two healthy arms as if no one were there. By the age of 11, Hodskins was already a starter for his school team and set a record of scoring 31 points in a single game.
In August 2011, 15-year-old Hodskins entered Milton High School in Georgia and quickly integrated into the community. On the court, he proved himself with his strength and quickly became a star player for the school. On November 16 last year, in a game against Christ School, Hodskins made 7 three-pointers, helping his team win. Someone uploaded a video of his performance to the website, and the "One-Armed Brother" became an overnight sensation. In just three days, 10,000 people watched the video, and today the view count has exceeded 3 million.
Hodskins' amazing performance caught the attention of several universities, and in the end, he chose the University of Florida, which is known for its sports tradition. "I am officially announcing my commitment to the University of Florida. I know I have made the right decision," Hodskins said. However, as he did not receive a full scholarship, Hodskins is not yet a formal player on the Florida basketball team; his position is a "walk-on," with his main tasks being to assist in practice and step in when a starter is injured. Today, Hodskins has become one of the legends in American sports. Many believe that he will continue his own legend through his perseverance, talent, and performance, and the most likely time for him to become a "full member" is 2014.