PENN HILLS, Pa. — A Penn Hills senior is not letting his disability define him as he works to make big plays under the Friday night lights.
Donovan Burnett Loves football.
Everyone around him says nothing holds him back.
Burnett is defensive tackle and right guard. He is also a menace to quarterbacks across the WPIAL.
“I just feel ready for that action, especially when I make big plays and so forth,” said Donovan.
The two-way starter of the Indians lives, sleeps and breaths football.
“I think he just loves everything that goes into it. He loves to compete. He loves just, you know, making sure he does not let his teammates down,” said Head Coach Charles Morris.
Donnie has autism and he says it is not something that bothers him.
“I’m cool. I feel good and it’s not going to stop me from who I truly am,” Donovan said.
When Charles Morris first took the job as head coach he was told the then-freshman was clunky and heavy footed and the former staff did not know if he would ever be able to play.
“When we got a chance to see him at practice. I’m like, it’s so far from the opposite, his effort, his determination, his willingness to compete. I’m like, we gonna find a place for him,” said Morris.
Donovan got his opportunity last season. An injury on the defense during a game against Pine Richland opened up a spot for him in the lineup.
“We threw Donnie in and Donnie had got three sacks in a row,” said Morris.
That earned him all-conference nods last year and he was named a team captain ahead of this season.
“He’s embracing, you know, his disability. Instead of, you know, giving it, using it as kind of like a crutch, he’s embraced it. And I think he’s kind of being an inspiration to other young men and women, or maybe a fear of whatever their disability is to not play sports or not be vocal,” said Morris.
Donovan said the sport means everything to him.
“I couldn’t help but want to open up, having to see if people wanted to be friends with me, you know? And you know what? I found a brotherhood here in Penn Hills, where that really does matter. Now, you know, people care about me, and now that makes a whole lot difference,” Donovan said.
Coach Morris said Donnie is also dedicated to the classroom, taking both honors and AP courses.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW