4-foot-tall basketball player makes big plays for his Connecticut HS team

FAIRFIELD, Conn. (PIX11) -- In a sport where height is king, one local high school basketball player proves it is not everything.

Spend thirty seconds with freshman Joaquin Martinez-Saenz, and he will prove he is the heart of his high school basketball team.  

The 15-year-old, born with dwarfism, found a second family in Fairfield at Notre Dame.  

"Every team should hype each other up. It gets you locked in," Martinez-Saens said before his Thursday night game against Newtown.

So, when the freshman decided to shoot his shot and try out for the team last fall, he felt nothing but acceptance. Unlike the adversity he faced growing up.

"At my other school, I was going to try out," but explained he was dealt a crushing blow to his confidence by a coach, "Said to me, do not waste your time coming. I took that personally." 

At Notre Dame, not only is he a guard on the team, but he is also getting playing time.  

For the first time this month, he made his first-ever high school basket, a layup. 

"When he made that shot, the team went crazy!" recalled his proud father, Miguel Martinez-Saenz. 

Coach Brian Kriftcher encourages his players to celebrate differences and embrace inclusion.  

"I said look, he's not a mascot. He will be a member of this team," Kriftcher said.

His parents said Joaquin proves that little people should not be looked at as less than.

"If I wasn't positive, I wouldn’t be here right now," Joaquin added.  

The teen's hoop dreams will not end with the freshman squad. He is planning to try out for the junior varsity team next year.  

Notre Dame said he will always have a home on their team regardless of the outcome.