WALHALLA — Last season, Justin Chandler, a leftfielder for Tamassee-Salem High School, was having problems at the plate. It was the back elbow, dipping down and skewing his swing.

Justin smoothed out the flaw after extra practice with his father, Jeff Chandler. The two often work on baseball fundamentals out in the yard of their Walhalla home: hitting off the tee and playing pitch-and-catch.

They also talk hardball after Tamassee-Salem practices, pondering baserunning or changeups while riding home in Jeff’s Dodge truck.

To the Chandlers, fixing an uppercut is nothing. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy when he was eight-months old, Justin has overcome obstacles his entire life. The disease mainly affects the left side of his body, and he’s undergone physical and occupational therapy for most of his life. Coordination in his legs can be an issue for Justin, as can fine motor skills in his left hand.

But he figures it out.

Not content with anything else than a robust life, Justin began playing sports in kindergarten. We went from t-ball to soccer to baseball. He’s also an avid hunter and fisherman, bagging deer and squirrel and catching bass and crappie.

Stephanie Chandler, Justin’s mom, has but one request for any of her son’s endeavors: no special treatment.

“When the doctors first told me Justin had cerebral palsy he came off real strong, saying (Justin) wouldn’t be in a normal classroom, wouldn’t be able to do normal activities like normal, per se, kids will do,” Stephanie said. “So we started right off the bat — he was going to be normal. We haven’t steered him away from anything.”

Even raccoon hunting wasn’t off-limits — although the combination of darkness and guns did bring out a shade of overprotective mom in Stephanie, she said.

A rising sophomore, Justin was in sixth grade when the Chandlers moved to Walhalla from Lake Toxaway, N.C. Tamassee-Salem has been a warm environment for Justin, Stephanie said, and this fall his sister Jordyn, 13, will begin her freshman year at the school.

“Sometimes kids can be cruel, you know, but his classmates and teachers at Tamassee-Salem have been great,” said Stephanie, who is a substitute teacher at the school. “Using an IEP (Individual Education Plan), some of Justin’s assignment can be modified if need be, but they don’t make it a big deal out of it and he’s not in a different classroom. He’s in a mainstream school and in mainstream classes.”

Maintaining a standard tract was a priority, Stephanie said, “because we didn’t want to cheat him out of an education.”

Jeff Chandler is quick to applaud Justin’s baseball coaches over the years, including Don Miller, Tommy Doyle and Dee Wate. Although Jeff has served as a volunteer coach on Justin’s teams, the father said his son listens more intently to the official skippers — which is a good thing.

“The biggest things that help Justin on the ball field are his big heart — he plays hard — and he pays attention,” Jess said. “That’s what his coaches see and appreciate. The big thing is (the coaches) gave him a chance. I’ve been around sports programs all my life and a lot of coaches want to win above giving a kid a chance. Those coaches are going to give you a chance, and that’s what they’ve done with him.”

Time spent on the field is teaching Justin valuable life lessons, Jeff said, including leadership.

“He’s learning how to adjust to different situations and pressure situations. And baseball is basically a thinking game, so he’s learning how to think ahead.”

Away from the diamond, Jeff and Justin bond over outdoor interests. Whether it’s hunting in McCormick or fishing on Lake Toxaway, if Jeff is going, chances Justin is too. The relationship has transcended the father-son dynamic.

“He’s more of a best friend,” Jeff said.

Now 16, Justin played mostly on Tamassee-Salem’s junior varsity and “C” teams last season. His primary position is leftfield, although he did get to pitch an inning. In addition, Justin notched one plate appearance with the varsity. Even though Justin’s left foot turns inward a little, he runs the bases well, Jeff said. A right-handed thrower, Justin takes the baseball maxim of using two-hands to field plays to an extreme, in order to negotiate the challenges cerebral palsy puts on his left side

A man of few words himself, Justin’s favorite major leaguer is Atlanta Braves slugger Chipper Jones. And Justin doesn’t play summer ball, choosing instead to help his father around the family farm, tending to the cattle, fencing and irrigation. (Jeff is self-employed, including some welding and landscape work.)

When asked to name his favorite aspects of baseball, Justin gave an answer both knowing and naĂŻve:

“I like batting and having fun.”