MAN – Little League Baseball seems like it just isn’t what it used to be.

That seems evident this summer during the 2009 all-star season as only eight communities fielded teams for the area and district 11-12-year-old tourneys at Man and Pineville.

As many as 22 teams have taken to the field in District 2 over the years.

Some say the youth of today just don’t have as much interest in playing Little League Baseball as compared to the kids of yesteryear.

Other say there are many more things for the modern youth to do, from the Wii, Sony Playstation 2 and 3 and other video games, to riding ATVs, watching satellite TV and getting on the computer.

Still others say the youth of today lacks the motivation to become a good baseball player.

But one area Little Leaguer is bucking that trend and he’s become an inspiration to us all.

That young man is Man Little Leaguer Bryce Goff, a 12-year-old outfielder, who plays for the Man 11-12-year-old all-star team.

Goff was born with a disability known as brachial plexus.

According to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH), the brachial plexus is a network of nerves that originate near the neck and shoulder. These nerves begin at the spinal cord in the neck and control the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Nerves are the electrical wiring system in all people that carry messages from the brain to the rest of the body. A nerve is like an electrical cable wrapped in insulation.

Motor nerves carry messages from the brain to muscles to make the body move. Sensory nerves carry messages to the brain from different parts of the body to signal pain, pressure, and temperature. The brachial plexus has nerves that are both motor and sensory.

Symptoms may include a limp or paralyzed arm; lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist; and a lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand. Brachial plexus injuries can occur as a result of shoulder trauma, tumors, or inflammation.

Goff, however, doesn’t let his condition stand in the way.

“It took effect on his whole left side. His left side is turning badly,” said Goff’s mother, April Goff. “He currently has physical therapy which is very painful at times. I have to give him Motrin after the treatments.”

Bryce Goff currently has severe contractions in his left arm and chest which will require mod quad surgery.

The family hopes to take Bryce to Texas soon for surgery.

But in the meantime, Goff is helping lead the Man 11-12-year-old All-Stars to success during the district tourney.

Goff starts in left field and bats second for Man, which won its first four games in Little League all-star action. Man is scheduled to face Chapmanville in one of the two district title games tonight at Pineville. A win would put Man into the State Little League Tournament for the first time since 1969.

Goff is one of the fastest runners on the team and has also carried a big stick. Goff singled in Man’s 7-4 victory over Red Jacket earlier in the week in the tourney. He also had a hit last Saturday in Man’s 17-0 win over Pineville at Man’s Tommy Keffer Field.

During the regular season, he hit an inside-the-park home run.

Fielding is a little more tricky for Goff, however.

He has to use his right hand to both catch and throw the ball, ala years ago when former Major League pitcher Jim Abbott did the same with his left hand.

This small obstacle hasn’t stopped Goff.

No way.

“He has a lot of heart,” April Goff said. “All of the other players are great to him. He stands at the fence when Man is at bat and cheers on all the players.”

Ms. Goff said Abbott and his story has been inspirational to her son.

“He wrote an essay once on Jim Abbott, who has part of his right arm missing. He wants to meet him someday,” she said.

The Goff family has two sons playing Little League this summer on two different teams.

Bryce’s brother, Braxton Goff, plays for the Man 9-10-year-old Little League All-Star team, which just qualified for the upcoming state tournament after knocking off county rival Chapmanville, 4-2, on Wednesday night in the district finals at Mullens.

Having two Little Leaguers on two different teams poses a great challenge for the Goffs.

Last Sunday, Braxton Goff and the Man 9-10-year-old All-Stars were playing in Mullens at 1 p.m. Across Wyoming County in Pineville, Bryce and the Man 11-12 all-stars were set to play at 3 p.m.

“I missed Bryce’s first at-bat but that was OK,” April Goff said. “When I arrived late he was standing in the dugout cheering. He was then subbed out in the second inning but then ran three times for three different players because he can run well. He just loves the game.”

Baseball is not the only sport of choice for Goff.

He also loves to play basketball.

“He’s played basketball since he was 5-years-old and he’s been on the all-star team as well,” April Goff said. “He’s also played Midget League Football. Man Middle School head coach Tootie Carter has heard a lot about Bryce. He wants to play football for the middle school this fall. He has attended the 7-on-7 camp. He’s also played for Amy Keffer. She called a timeout in one game and chewed the kids out. She said, ‘If you all had the heart that Bryce had we would be fine.’ So I am very proud of Bryce as well as my husband Carl.”

Goff said she’s glad her son is on the team.

“The entire Man family is there cheering on Bryce as well,” she said. “Man head coach Byron Griffin had the all-star list and was calling all the kids to inform them that they made the team. But Byron’s mom Helen said that she wanted to call Bryce and tell him. She just loves Bryce. She had tears in her eyes.”

Ms. Goff doesn’t want anyone, however, to treat her son any differently just because of his condition.

“We don’t want anyone to feel sorry for Bryce,” she said. “We appreciate everything and all of the support.”

Brachial plexus surgery, like most medical procedures these days, is costly.

“Hopefully, we can get some medical coverage. Medicaid just won’t pay for surgery,” Ms. Goff said. “We just pray God will answer our prayers for Bryce.”