Join WAND's Gordon Voit every Wednesday for Hero of the Week, where Voit puts the spotlight on a member of the community who is demonstrating unusual character on and off the field!
DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -- "No Excuses."
It's not just a t-shirt slogan to Decatur Christian guard Irina Yeakley -- it's a bona fide lifestyle.
The sophomore suits up for the Warriors despite having deformed and missing fingers, plus a prosthetic leg that she custom-designed with Harry Potter slogans and insignia.
Despite the physical differences between her and her opponents, she not only shows up -- she's the Warriors' best player.
"I just work hard and I don't act like I have a disability," Yeakley said. "I don't feel sorry for myself either because I've worked hard to (get) where I am."
Despite Yeakley's sophomore status, she was a unanimous pick as captain of Decatur Christian.
"We chose her as a captain because of her leadership abilities," head coach Mikayla Lehman said, "and what she can do even though she has a disability."
Yeakley was adopted from Russia, where she was born with what's called amniotic band syndrome -- a condition in which the bands in the womb constrict the child's limbs and cause physical abnormalities such as partial fingers, missing fingers, and a stunted leg like Yeakley had before it was amputated.
The Warriors are still searching for their first win of the season at 0-6. But rest assured at least one player won't give excuses when all is said and done.
The reason? She's been through much more.
