Inspiring athlete nominated for Sports Illustrated award
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- Derek Black was born without his right hand, but his story was never defined by what made him different.
A 17-year-old, three-sport athlete at North Tonawanda High School, Black plays hockey, football and lacrosse. With a chance to show that greatness isn’t measured by what you’re given but by what you fight to achieve, he’s proving that anything is possible when you believe in yourself.
“If there’s other kids like me … I want them to know that they can do it, too,” Black said. "You don't have to let anything limit you. It only limits you if you let it."
From a young age, he was motivated to redefine the perception others may have had about him with the support of those who believed in him from Day 1.
“My parents … they supported me the whole way. They put me into sports … they never really doubted my abilities. They always thought I could do it," Black said.
“I always said, you can do this,” said Derek's mother, Summer Black. “There is no 'can’t.' And we pushed that with him from Day 1 and he was doing things that most kids with two hands couldn’t do at that age."
Derek’s football coach, Chris Tideswell, describes him as a leader.
“Honestly, just in awe," Tideswell said. "We met him when he was a freshman and he just stuck out because he could catch better than everyone else. ... He's a good young man. He was born that way; he doesn't let that be an excuse for him. He's just paving his own way no matter the situation he was given."
Behind the scenes is a quiet strength -- something that began long before his success on the field or on the ice. That strength has earned him a nomination for Sports Illustrated Youth Athlete of the Year -- a title that stands for all that Derek is.
“Derek is a very shy and humble kid,” his mother said. "He was a little taken back by it, he doesn't like all the attention on him, but I said, this is to show other kids that this is something that they can do if they're born this way or they have some other kind of limitation, that they can't let that get in their way."
The winner will be featured in a Sports Illustrated ad and will take home $25,000 to support their future. To vote for Derek, click here.
Angelica Gallagher is a Lancaster native who joined the News 4 team in 2025. See more of her work here.