Ashton Francis (71) has played multiple positions along the offensive line for the Westgate Tigers.

Ashton Francis has not only overcome the odds, he has thrived as an offensive lineman at Westgate High.

When Francis was a toddler, his father, Kawoski Johnson, noticed some behaviors that caused him concern.

“His symptoms were being standoffish with other kids,” Johnson said. “He wanted to be alone, and loud noises bothered him. In preschool class, he had attention-span problems.”

Johnson took his son to visit two physicians who each diagnosed Francis with autism.

The Autism Academy for Education and Development states that “football is seemingly the least-likely sport” that an autistic child will play “due to the intense social and communicative skills it requires.”

Despite that, Francis played football in the seventh grade before a harrowing experience resulted in him shunning sports the following year.

“After football season, a coach asked the kids to stand up if they wanted to run track and field,” recalled Johnson. “He told Ashton to sit down, that he couldn’t do it because it wasn’t the Special Olympics.”

Johnson didn’t quarrel with his son about sitting out his eighth-grade year, although he did attempt to motivate him.

“I told him giving up is not an option,” Johnson said. “I asked Westgate head coach Ryan Antoine if Ashton could work out with the team, and he agreed. He must have seen something in Ashton, because as a freshman, Ashton got moved to the varsity squad.”

Francis has excelled at Westgate, earning honorable mention All-State honors as a sophomore while leading the Tigers’ offensive line.

“It’s neat because Edwin Pierre, his offensive line coach at Westgate, was one of Ashton’s coaches with the pee-wee Broncos team he was on,” Johnson said.

“Ashton has moved around the offensive line. Coach Antoine asked him to play center his sophomore year. He’s also comfortable at either right or left offensive tackle.”

Johnson said he owes a debt of gratitude to Antoine and his staff at WHS.

“He gave Ashton an opportunity,” Johnson said. “I wanted coaches to look at his ability and not his disability. Coach Antoine did that. You might have to tell Ashton something twice. But if you show him how you don’t want a defender to come into the A-gap, it’s not going to happen again.

“Autistic kids are more visual. You can tell them six times, but if you show them once, they’ll grasp the concept.”

Johnson is known for his antics as a Westgate “super fan,” and he does it for his son.

“By me taking off my shirt at a game and running around, I wanted to show Ashton that I was there for him no matter what,” Johnson explained. “I want him to go out and give 110 percent. I told him the world will notice him.

“I told him to stay humble and put God first, to look at how far he’s come. At one point, he couldn’t even walk. I cried myself to sleep some nights when he was young. He has a hell of a story to tell. It might mean the world to another kid in the same situation.”

Currently 6-foot-4 and 285-pound junior, Francis’ dream would be to continue his career at TCU or LSU.

“He has a desire to play at the next level,” Johnson said. “Coach Antoine, he gets on Ashton just like any other player, which is what we always wanted. We want them to drive and push him and treat him as another kid, not as an autistic kid.”