Ten-year-old Jacob Dutton is enjoying his first Pop Warner Super Bowl. Wearing numbers 50 and 52, Jacob has played for two years and loves to travel with the team and coaches. 

Born with birth defects to his leg and right hand, Jacob can still compete with anyone on the field.  Jacob bravely competes for the Port St. Lucie Pirates as one of their centers.  The Pop Warner Super Bowl is filled with gifted young athletes who have shown that they have what it takes to win. 

Talented young boys from across the country have made the trip of a lifetime to the Disney Wide World of Sports complex.  Of all the amazing athletes who get the opportunity to make this trip, a young boy from Florida has made it against all odds.

The Port St. Lucie Pirates are one of the four teams that moved on to the second round of the Division II Jr. Pee Wee bracket. The Pirates advanced to the second round with their dominant 29-0 victory over the Southlake Red Devils.  

As the team celebrated on the field, no one could predict that one of those excited little faces is not like everyone else.  Jacob Dutton is a center for the Pirates and competes every day not only against his opposition but against his own set of debilitating odds.  Jacob was born without his leg from the knee down and is missing his thumb and index finger from his right hand.

This spirited 10 year old has not allowed these obstacles to stop him from being just like any other kid. He loves to play football, kick, jump, and run while simply playing the game he loves.  He has not allowed his condition to be an obstacle.

According to his coach Jeff Miret, you can count on Jacob to not let his condition hold him back.  In an interview with Pop Warner, Miret proclaims that Jacob is never last in sprints or laps while running with the team.  Coach Miret says that just thinking about Jacob brings tears to his eyes.

“We never ever have used it as an excuse.....it’s never been a conversation, said Miret.”  

According to coach Miret, in all of his 13 years he's never had a more amazing kid.  An objective for coach Miret is to never let Jacob feel he is different from the other kids.  He explains that he will yell at Jake for missing a block or an assignment just like anybody else.  By being treated him with the same expectations as his peers, Jacob can feel that he is equal to everyone on the team.

Asked if he is enjoying the trip, Jacob’s eyes light up. He explains that the thing he is most excited for are the hotel and the water parks they will attend in the coming days.  For some of these children, this may be their first and only Disney World experience.  The joy on each of these kids’ faces as they describe their amazing trip is enough to bring a smile to anyone.  Being able to come to Orlando and be treated like a real NFL star is a life changing experience for any and all of these special young boys.  Although coach Miret tries to remind his special player that they still have games to win, he cannot really blame him for his excitement.  After all, Jacob Dutton is just another ten-year-old at Disney World.

Although the focus of the week is football, another aspect is the overall impact this weeklong experience has on these young athletes.  With children from varying backgrounds and demographics, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a lot of these players.  Ask any coach and they will tell you they have never seen a happier, more excited bunch of kids.  For many of these future NFL stars, this has been described as the best week of their entire lives.  For a special player like Jacob Dutton, this theme continues to ring true. 

Seeing a kid who has had to battle every day of his life just to keep up, it is heartwarming to know he can cherish this experience for the rest of his life.  Prosthetic leg or not, Jacob Dutton can always say he was a Pop Warner Super Bowl star.  As he continues to grow and evolve as a player, this experience may very well change his life in a positive way.  We hope that players like Jacob Dutton never stop coming to this event, so that we may never run out of amazing stories like his. 

Watching Jacob Dutton compete with a smile on his face every game is enough to bring chills and goose bumps to any audience.  One can only imagine the pride and joy that is felt by his family and coaches with every snap. 

Now that is what the Pop Warner Super Bowl is all about.