Del Sol football player competes with the help of a prosthetic foot

Richard Brian / Special to the Sun

Del Sol junior-to-be Darren Sanders hasn’t let losing his toes three years ago in a freak accident stop him from playing high school football. His toes were cut off when they were run over by a train.

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009 | 12:59 p.m.

Darren Sanders is a perfectionist.

The junior-to-be wide receiver for Del Sol High ran a perfect pattern during one of the Dragons’ spring football practices last month, quickly turning his head to see the ball headed in his direction.

But an easy catch turned into a dropped pass as the ball bounced out of his hands. Upset with himself, Sanders jogged to the back of the line of eight receivers to wait for another chance to prove himself.

Ask any of his teammates, however, and they will say Sanders has nothing to prove.

Sanders, 16, plays with the help of a prosthetic foot after the toes of his left foot were cut off three years ago. A train ran over his foot while he and some of his friends were playing along the tracks near his home at the time.

Equipped with the prosthetic, which noticeably slows him down but doesn’t damper his spirits, Sanders shows up each afternoon for spring practices with a refreshing attitude.

Sure, he wants to earn playing time this August for the always-competitive Dragons. More importantly, Sanders values each day of being a normal teenager on the gridiron.

“I don’t consider myself handicapped,” Sanders said. “Football is my life. I wasn’t going to let this stop me from playing.”

Sanders lost his foot while jumping on and off trains. On one jump, he slipped on some pebbles as he landed and his foot was run over by the train.

He spent three months recovering at University Medical Center and another three months at a rehabilitation facility. Simply being able to walk again was a long and often painful process.

“I’m just so very proud of him,” said Edith Sanders, his mother. “He has never let the disability get him down. He never showed any pain or felt bad for himself.”

Sanders, who was a reserve on the junior varsity team last year, will play either defensive back or wide receiver, Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said.

“(His effort) is something you can point out to the others,” Goroff said. “The kid has half of a foot, but he is out there not making any excuses. He just wants to play football.”

Ezzy Rajabi, who was Sanders’ teammate on the JV team last fall, said Sanders “just loves this sport. He comes out here every day and works harder than anyone on the team. He’s a true Dragon. He loves Del Sol and playing football for Del Sol.”

Sanders idolizes Reggie Bush of the New Orleans Saints and dreams of scoring a highlight reel-style touchdown like Bush in the fall for Del Sol.

Sanders said his prosthetic isn’t a factor when he’s on the field.

“I don’t really think about it. I just go out there and play like everyone else,” Sanders said. “I don’t let it get me down.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.