When Spruce Creek boys volleyball coach Chris Zablo was scouting potential players at an open gym session just before Christmas break, there was one newcomer in particular who caught his eye.
Robbie Onusko, a slender 5-foot-10 junior, could rise high and generate power. He looked like a volleyball veteran, despite being a relative novice.
"I was like, 'Man, this kid could hit,'" Zablo said. "He was nailing them."
Zablo stepped onto the court to play doubles, and partnered up with the newcomer. He recalls setting Onusko up with a short ball on his left side, then watching Onusko reach across with his right hand to strike it down.
"Then it dawned on me," Zablo said.
Due to a rare prenatal condition known as amniotic band sequence, Onusko's left hand is not fully developed. Yet not only did Onusko impress enough that night to be invited to tryouts, he's now worked his way into the varsity lineup for the area's only boys volleyball program.
A blessing; not a challenge
According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, amniotic band sequence is estimated to occur in anywhere from 1 in 1,200 to 15,000 live births. Symptoms vary greatly, as some infants develop only mild symptoms, while others endure life-threatening complications.
Arms and legs are most often affected, though some cases of amniotic band sequence have resulted in defects of the head, face and various internal organs.
Dr. Jose Perez, a neonatologist across several hospitals in Central Florida, said those born with amniotic band sequence typically do not face limitations in regards to participating in athletics.
"The amniotic band occurs, causes a loss of profusion to the extremity, and that causes a loss to that extremity or digits," Perez said. "All (cases) don't look the same."
Prior to birth, Onusko punched through the amniotic sac, halting development of his left hand. His parents, Lori and Rob Onusko, said they were not aware of his defect until after he was born.
"You battle thinking you did something wrong, like it was our fault that it happened," Rob said.
Amniotic band sequence has gained some national awareness recently with the success of former University of Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who expects to be selected in next week's NFL draft. Griffin's left hand was amputated at age 4 as a result of the condition, yet he's been one of the most productive defensive players in college football the past two seasons.
The 2016 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Griffin totaled 74 total tackles with seven sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception in his senior year. UCF went undefeated and won the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Onusko said he admired Griffin's determination from the moment he heard about him.
"I learned about him last year when my parents said there was a kid at UCF who had one hand, just like me. … Then I watched him play, and he is phenomenal," Onusko said.
"It's really inspiring to see what he has done in his life. What's stopping me?"
Set to turn 17 on May 1, Onusko's left arm reaches approximately the same length as his right wrist at full extension. He can move the extremity back and forth, left and right. But cannot grip anything.
At one point, Onusko donned a prosthetic over his shoulder for the purposes of holding objects, but found it to be a hassle and discarded it when he grew out of it.
"Living with it really hasn't been that hard," Onusko said of his condition. "I consider myself pretty athletic and can do most things that most people can do. I don't really see it as a challenge; I see it as a blessing, honestly."
While he acknowledges that he despises the terms "crippled" or "disabled," Onusko said he's never suffered any hardships or bullying as a result of his condition.
"I really don't like to be thought as different," Onusko said. "I like to just fit in with everybody else. I don't think I'm different. If I can do what other people can do with two hands, then I don't think I should be segregated."
Jack of all trades
Rob praises his son's self-sufficient attitude in life. Robbie learned to tie his shoes on his own when he was 9. Around the same time, he started playing organized sports, joining a flag football league in South Daytona. The experience eased his parents' minds about his ability to compete athletically.
"We saw him being accepted on teams. He's a good athlete," Rob said. "He catches better with one hand than I do with two.
"You're always worried that (others) are looking at him differently, and him playing sports really got us over the hump on that."
In addition to flag football, Onusko has played soccer, golf, tennis and basketball over the years. When he arrived at Spruce Creek, he earned a spot on the bowling team.
Bowling is a popular sport for the Onusko family; Rob is a general manager at AMF Lanes in Orange City.
Perhaps surprisingly, Onusko uses a two-handed style. He cradles the ball with his left arm and generates spin as he releases it with his right hand.
It's proven to be an effective technique. Onusko earned an All-Area honorable mention in bowling this fall, leading the Hawks with a 201 average in 31 games (13th-best in the area). He claims a high game of 289, a mere 11 pins shy of perfection with 10 consecutive strikes.
"It wasn't the easiest to learn, but it wasn't challenging from a physical aspect," he said. "Most of it relies on your legs. … I'm not actually doing anything to the ball with my left hand. It's a guide more than anything."
Step-by-step improvement
Before his junior year, at the recommendation of a friend, Onusko decided he wanted to try volleyball. He only recalls playing twice prior to this year. Wanting to learn on the fly, he attended clinics in the summer and enrolled in a beginner's class at Spruce Creek.
Fellow junior Andrew Fowler figured Onusko might make a good volleyball player due to his athleticism.
"He plays basketball, so he had the coordination required," Fowler said. "He's really agile, can stop and start pretty quick and jump pretty high. As a player, he's gotten a lot better. He's gotten pretty good at hitting."
The first few days were sort of a struggle for Onusko as he needed to devise a way to pass the ball. He learned to bump-set to mitigate the unevenness of his arm lengths.
Zablo feels that Onusko's form has come a long way from his first days on the court. Lined up as an outside hitter, he refined his footwork and approach toward the net.
"Before, he was just going up there and hitting. Now, he knows the steps," Zablo said. "He passes and sets with one hand. He does everything. It's crazy."
Onusko started the first month of the season on the Hawks' junior varsity team. In his first eight JV games, he recorded 65 kills, 10 blocks and eight aces.
His progress was rewarded with a call-up to the varsity squad ahead of the Hawks' game against Oviedo Hagerty on March 27.
In limited action, Onusko recorded five kills for the Hawks (12-9). With just about two weeks left in the regular season, Onusko opted to return to the JV ranks, with long-term goals in mind.
"Obviously, I was excited about making it to varsity with this being my first year," he said. "(Playing JV) allows me to work my way into the game, be comfortable and get plenty of reps. I want to be able to start for the varsity team next season."