>> MY NAME IS CONNER STROUD.

I AM 15 YEARS OLD.

MY HOME IS IN RUTHERFORDTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

I PLAY TENNIS.

AND I AM ON THE WORLD TEEN CUP JUNIOR TEAM.

MY DISABILITY IS PROXIMAL FOCAL FEMUR DEFICIENCY.

I WAS ONLY BORN WITH ONE MAIN LEG BONE, AND THAT WAS IT.

♪

>> WE'RE THE PARENTS OF CONNER STROUD.

HE WAS BORN A HEALTHY LITTLE BOY EXCEPT, YOU KNOW, JUST WITH A

LEG DIFFERENCE.

SO YOU JUST SORT OF HAVE TO LEARN TO ADAPT TO A DIFFERENT

WAY OF THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN DO AND --

>> TAKING THESE BALLS DOWN, GETTING READY.

>> OKAY.

I'LL BE DOWN IN A MINUTE.

>> OKAY.

THANKS.

CONNER STARTED PLAYING TENNIS WHEN HE WAS 5.

AND HE ALWAYS WAS VERY INTERESTED.

AND WHEN HE GOT HIS CHANCE TO PLAY WITH HIS SISTER AND THE

FAMILY, HE JUST STARTED PLAYING.

>> I STARTED PLAYING JUNIOR TOURNAMENTS JUST STANDING UP

WHEN I WAS ABOUT 8, A LOT OF TOURNAMENTS WHEN I WAS 12.

AND THEN WHEN I HAD TO MOVE UP TO THE NEXT DIVISION, IT STARTED

GETTING A LITTLE BIT TOO HARD.

SO I DECIDED TO JUST TRY WHEELCHAIR TENNIS.

IT WAS CHALLENGING AT FIRST.

YOU HAVE TO JUST KEEP MOVING AND, YOU KNOW, HOLD THE RACQUET

AND WHEEL AT THE SAME TIME.

SO THE MORE YOU PLAY AND THE MORE YOU PRACTICE, IT KEPT

GETTING EASIER.

SO IT'S A LOT OF HARD WORK.

♪

>> ALL RIGHT, GUYS.

LET'S ALL COME IN HERE TOGETHER.

ALL RIGHT.

IS EVERYBODY HITTIN' PRETTY GOOD?

YOU KNOW, TODAY'S LINEUP, JACK'S NOT HERE, SO, CONNER,

YOU'LL BE NUMBER ONE TODAY.

LET'S PLAY TOUGH TODAY.

THIS IS THEIR FIRST MATCH TOO, SO IT SHOULD BE A GOOD

MATCH TODAY.

>> RIGHT NOW, CONNER'S RANKED IN THE WORLD.

HE'S RANKED NINE IN JUNIORS IN THE WORLD.

HIS GOAL IS TO BE NUMBER ONE IN JUNIORS BEFORE HE TURNS 19.

SO I FEEL LIKE THAT'S A VERY ATTAINABLE GOAL.

>> Heather: WHEN PEOPLE TELL YOU THAT YOU INSPIRE THEM, CONNER,

WHAT DO YOU -- HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

>> UM, IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, AN HONOR TO INSPIRE PEOPLE AND

JUST THAT -- THAT I CAN MAYBE HELP THEM, YOU KNOW, GET THROUGH

A CHALLENGE.

>> THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME AVERY HIGH

SCHOOL TO PEACH TREE RACQUET CLUB FOR A HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS

MATCH TODAY.

OKAY.

NUMBER ONE FOR THOMAS JEFFERSON WOULD BE CONNER STROUD.

SHAKE HANDS.

YOU GUYS GET GOING.

♪

>> I'VE COACHED CONNER FROM DAY ONE IN HIS TENNIS.

FOR CONNER TO PLAY ON HIS -- HIS HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TEAM --

THAT'S IT.

MAN, YOU CAN'T HIT IT ANY BETTER THAN THAT ONE.

IT'S A GREAT THING FOR CONNER TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AND TO

INSPIRE OTHER WHEELCHAIR PLAYERS TO GO PLAY.

WE'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE TELL US THAT HE'S INSPIRED THEM TO GET

OUT AND PLAY A SPORT.

>> I JUST HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY TAKE THE MESSAGE TO,

YOU KNOW, NEVER GIVE UP AND TO JUST KEEP TRYING.

AND IT WILL ALL WORK OUT IN THE END.

♪