ELIZABETH, Ind. (WDRB) --  Landis Sims is a sophomore baseball player on the varsity team at South Central High School in Elizabeth, Indiana.  In many ways, one of the guys. In other ways, a lesson in perseverance, meeting challenges head on, and a unique inspiration to them and so many others.

"It's been challenging at times," said his mother Amanda Wolfe. "It's been very rewarding but overall it's been an amazing journey with him."

It's a journey that began when Landis was born without hands and most of his lower legs. But that never seemed to slow him down. 

"He had from the time he was very little has just been an overcomer and just very active in what he does and just wants to be part of life," said Wolfe. "He's played lots of basketball, still does. But it was always baseball that had his heart, perhaps in part because it's never been easy."

"Growing up, not only through sports but in everyday life, I've got to overcome challenges with everything," said Sims. "So that just kind of helps my mindset with getting better at baseball and baseball's a sport of failure so it helps with that mindset of I'll get through it."

"Landis has been able to contribute to this team in ways that coaches dream of," said South Central head coach Mitch Massard. "He's basically an extension of myself and coach Todd Tyree. His wisdom for the game of baseball and the knowledge he has and the willingness to learn the game and then pass it on to his other teammates is invaluable." 

"I've had to overcome some of the physical challenges with mentally just knowing the game better to kind of get around some of the things that physically hold me back," Sims added.

There hasn't been much of anything that holds him back. 

His journey has taken him to Yankee Stadium where he threw out the first pitch in a game. He has several Major Leaguers who are friends and mentors. He's had camera crews following him around for eight years for a documentary called "Landis-Just Watch Me." It is being released July 12 through Taikuli Productions. 

And last week before South Central's game against North Harrison, he was honored by the Indiana High School Athletic Association with the National Spirit of Sport Award. 

"We often take for granted the things we have in our lives," said Massard. "And we can get down on ourselves or make excuses and then you look across the diamond and see a kid like Landis, mouth shut, working his butt off, never says a word and he goes in there and competes and competes and competes and you look at that and say 'wow, I need to step up' and it's an inspiration to see that play out and treat each day with a little more gratitude and a little more excitement for what we get to do and who we get to be around. Being around that kid is just an absolute joy."

"He's proven all of us wrong," said Wolfe. "Or just proven some of us right. That he's capable of doing whatever he sets his mind to."   

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.