Sipping on his Frappuccino with tri- ple whipped cream and cinnamon top- ping he charmed out of the Starbucks baristas, Drew Combs taps along to the beat of the music in the bookstore café, casually commenting that he should have been a drummer. Combs, born with a left arm that ends below the elbow, is a kicker for the Texas Christian University football team. He earned the kickoff position during the summer and was also the backup field goal kicker this season. Now, he has his sights set on the field goal position. “I set really high goals for myself, and I like to put things down on paper to focus on them,” he said. “I might not be the best guy out there, but I want to succeed and I want to meet my goals.” Combs, a 22-year-old business marketing major from Houston, has played football since seventh grade. Over the years, he has also played basketball, track and field, baseball, soccer and golf. As a child, Combs looked to base- ball pitcher Jim Abbott for inspiration. Abbott, who also has only one hand, played in the major leagues and won an Olympic gold medal. Like Abbott, Combs does not allow only having one hand hinder him in any way. “If it ever was difficult, you just have to overcome it,” he said. “That’s life, and I’m the type of person where if you want to try to hold me down, I’m gonna get back up and I’ll be twice as fierce as anyone you’ve ever seen.” Combs played football for the Uni- versity of Arkansas after he graduated from high school, but left Fayetteville for Fort Worth after the fall of 2005. Combs spoke with Dan Sharp, TCU’s tight end and special teams coach, and told him he wanted to be a walk-on at TCU. “Coach Sharp said you don’t need no arm to kick a ball. It’s one of the major reasons why I came here,” Combs said. Combs was recently rewarded for his work ethic by being selected as a member of Mark May’s All-Mayday Team, which honors college football players who have overcome obstacles in their life. The players are chosen for the mental and physical strength they show both on and off the field. “It’s definitely a huge honor,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m deserving. There are a lot of other people out there who’ve gone through so much more.” Combs’ talents extend far beyond the football field. He has played guitar for more than eight years, and has written 40 to 50 songs. When he’s not strumming Third Eye Blind songs, Combs can be found mountain biking around Lake Worth. Combs does not let anything stop him from accomplishing what he sets his mind to. “Drew refuses to take any grief about his arm. His attitude is if you can do it, then he can,” said Kev- in Sharples, a sophomore business major and fellow kicker on the foot- ball team. “If anyone has any doubts about his ability, I challenge them to play him in basketball or catch with a football.” Combs, who plans to graduate in May 2009, is not sure what he wants to do after college, but is considering law school or getting a private pilot license. “I just want to be a good father, like my dad was for me,” he said. “I don’t necessarily have to make the most money, I just want to love what I do for a living.” Drew Combs cooks up lemon chicken in his apartment. In addition to cooking and playing guitar, Drew is kicker for the football team.