Local kid a finalist for 'Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A 9-year-old athlete from Los Angeles is one of the six finalists to become the 2014 Sports Illustrated SportsKid of the Year.

Ezra Frech has some stiff competition, including Little League pitching phenomenon Mo'ne Davis. But Frech may deserve your vote.

"No one really thinks of me as disabled here, and that's what I love about it," said Frech.

Frech was born with a deformed leg. But his heart is amazing.

"I was born with a leg that was twisted in -- it was like a whole leg, but it was twisted in. And they removed that part and they took the big toe and put it on my left hand so I have two fingers," said Frech.

What sounds like a disability to most is absolutely normal and inspiring to those around him.

"He's now like basically one of the best basketball players in our school, and it's really cool that he had to actually do that and he kept trying and he made it," said 4th-grade friend Willa Pope Robbins.

"He powers through everything with a leg and it's just so normal," said Will Myers, Frech's best friend. "No one even realizes it. I kind of wish I had one of those because it's really good."

Frech is a seven-time national record holder in track and field in his age group for disabled athletes.

"My son has taught me about perseverance. He's taught me about strength, being positive," said Bahar Soomekh, Frech's mother. "He's so motivating."

With his athletic success, Frech decided to fill out an application for Sports Illustrated for Kids for Athlete of the Month.

"My dad's like, 'They don't want you to be Sports Kid of the Month,' and I'm like, 'Why?' And he goes, 'They want you to be one of the people who try out for Sports Kid of the Year,' and I was like, 'Oh my gosh!'" said Frech.

"I can't even really relate," said Clayton Frech, Ezra's father. "I could give him a couple suggestions, but I don't have a prosthetic leg."

In Ezra Frech's case, he doesn't need to win the vote to be a young champion in life.

"I scooter differently, I skip differently, but as long as you can do it, I count it as that you can do it," said Frech.

And he's doing it.

To vote, visit sikids.com/skoty

Voting ends Monday, October 13 at 9 a.m. Pacific Time.