There is nothing to break his fall. His head drops. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. This time it's flawless. How could someone who had never held a football teach a freshman how to throw, tackle or block? We make it to his home. How do you move a fully grown adult with no arms and legs? Most everyone recognizes him and says hello. And to just kill the pain," he says. "Just focus -- you got this.". One player quit because of Mendez. And buckling Rob into his chair. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. He demanded respect, eye contact and accountability. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. Clay, Brock Powell, Bryant ( Fr.) Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of life, Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend. He doesn't eat right. by Elk Grove. Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. It isn't the first time Rob has fallen out of his chair. And yeah, of course that's frustrating." This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob.". I said, 'oh yeah? Preston Gannaway for ESPN, A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. "I wish more people were like that. Going to the bathroom. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. ", Mendez leans forward in his chair. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. 3 quarterback, and No. "He was still in diapers," Bob says. How did someone who has never thrown a ball, caught a pass or tackled anyone become a head coach? He insists he's fine, and we order beers. Mendez picks a spot at the bar next to two women. On this night, on the same field where this journey began, Mendez gathers his team one last time. I lean over, wrap my hands around him and lift him out of his chair. "I was drinking to forget. Rob is no different." That night he can't sleep. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. "Those kids," he says, "gave me the feeling that I can do anything." They gave me a feeling of importance. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. Mendez. ", "Yes, Coach," the quarterback says. His older sister, Jackie, pushed her brother to try new things and one day tucked a PlayStation controller under his chin. It's just me. Any other details they should know (If you have previously attended the school's camp or met the coaches) Sample Introductory Email: To: Reed@email.edu, RecruitingCoordinator@email.edu, SecondAssistant@email.edu. Quote of the . Thats how I feel in my chair. "I've always been someone to be not afraid of failure," Mendez said. Mendez doesn't buy it. But at 24, I didn't really know what to do or say at the time.". McAvoy has been Mendez's caretaker for the past six years. In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. Taking a bath. Football coach without arms or legs inspires teamBorn without arms or legs, Rob Mendez was never able to play football, but that didn't stop him from pursuing his passion for the game as a coach.ESPN he says. His comes with a straw. Prepped for head coach Victor Winters at Gadsden County High School in Havana, Flarated a three-star prospecta first-team all-state and a first-team All-Big Bend selection for the Jaguars after grading out over 90 percentinvited to participate in the NUC All-American Game in 2022had interest from several programs, including Florida Atlantic, Maryland, South Florida, Wake Forest . He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. I stuff a pad between him and the chair back -- paranoid he could fall. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. It feels as if everyone is staring. This life it just isn't always easy." Mendez didn't care. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. One thing the boy clearly didn't lack: confidence. Mendez makes a trip to a nearby shopping center for coffee. Things like that happen all the time. And comfortable does not win," Georgia football coach Kirby Smart on trying to win a third straight national championship. Mendez screams. He doesn't listen to the doctors like he should. Jan 31, 2023 4:00 PM PST. Bennett, Will Cassaidy, Matthew Dietrich, Connor Konieczka, Sean ( Sr.) Letzig, Charles ( Fr.) He put the name into Google. Without his wheelchair working properly, he can't raise its height to sit next to me at the bar. Its classrooms are a melting pot. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. He says he would consider prosthetics only if he ever became a father. In most cases of tetra-amelia, death occurs before birth. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. Who says I can't?'". His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. The interview began with Mendez asking Cable for a fist bump on the shoulder. You guys fought your butts off. "I think it always will." They sit in front of us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes. "It always kept me hungry. And just like that, the man who so often projects like everything is fine rips off his facade. The school sits on the western edge of Silicon Valley, just 5 miles from Apple's campus. Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. What the hell does that even mean? The quarterback removes the cap from a blue dry erase pen and puts it in Mendez's mouth. He tells the story of his father putting him on the stairs when he was 9 years old, demanding that he climb to the top. Pratima Sherpa's Dream Mendez hopes to someday have the opportunity to coach varsity. Bob rushes his son to the hospital. Mendez shakes his head. and Head Coaches) Prospect High School 801 W. Kensington Rd. Complaining is my No. IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. ROB MENDEZ IS not only the most unique high school football coach in America, he's one of the most unique humans in the world. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does. As the clock approaches 11 p.m., he looks at his empty glass and asks for another drink. Follow him! "It wasn't very polite or sensitive. "I think every parent worries about their kids when they leave this earth," Bob says. "In a text message.". Call or Email the Football Office to acquire the 2022 Ticket Code. It doesn't lead to a good place. Prospect, IL 60056 Phone: 847-718-5200 Fax: 847-718-5224 School Web Site: phs.d214.org Enrollment: 2107 Conference (s): Mid-Suburban League Nickname (s): Knights (boys), Knights (girls) Colors: Navy Blue/Columbia Blue School Type: Public Coed County: Cook 2. Prospect's defense held off Maine South for the final 44 seconds to secure a 42-41 win. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. I just want to be Coach Rob. As the quarterback rolls out, the play unfolds perfectly. Preston Gannaway for ESPN It feels as if everyone is staring. Otherwise there's the potential he'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. So I follow him in the bike lane, hazards on. He says they need him, but you know what? I assume Mendez will pilot his wheelchair on the sidewalk and I'll drive alongside for the five dimly lit blocks back to his house. "I guess you saw a little bit of the other side tonight. ", Mendez makes a trip to a nearby shopping center for coffee. Mendez shakes his head. "We are two very different people. When his friends went out for football his freshman year of high school, Rob became the team manager. With a dream of one day becoming a head football coach, Mendez worked for years as an assistant at various schools, until he was finally given the opportunity hed been working for. I should have a wife by now. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. "I'm pretty good at dealing with pain, and I didn't want to stay home feeling sorry for myself," he says. An assistant coach holds a whiteboard a few inches in front of Mendez. One of the bartenders reminds him he's not supposed to have more than two drinks. James Hamann Assistant Coach: Paul Hennig Mascot(s): Knight School Administration Superintendent: Dr. David Schuler . I stuff a pad between him and the chair back -- paranoid he could fall. Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. Email Mark Fisher. Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything." Prepped at Blackman High School under head coach Chandler Tygard . After a few minutes of conversation, he seemed like any other football coach having a beer on a Friday night. 31 years later, he's. But I don't know what else to say. It is hard for college coaches to obtain rosters from high school coaches, and even harder to get them to hand over contact . But Rob refuses because the upper belt limits his ability to access his phone and draw plays. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "Think about it. If Rob sensed someone staring, he'd roll up and introduce himself. I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." I'm not beautiful at all. MENDEZ'S WHEELCHAIR NEVER sits still, but the way it pinballs back and forth between the hashmarks on the Prospect practice field says the coach is not happy. And swimming. Cable obliged. He scoffs. Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. I swear. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. SARATOGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Bay Area high school football coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder called tetra-amelia syndrome, leaving him with no arms or legs. It's almost midnight. As much as he doesn't want this syndrome to define him, at the same time there's a part of him that loves the fact that it sort of does. Its classrooms are a melting pot. Brushing teeth. It's all good.". Prospect High School. And how does he deal with such a challenging life? The coach nods and says "thank you." The green mile marker signs fly past on Highway 101. And to just kill the pain," he says. "You know how it is.". It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. The other kids are special, too. Holding court, triggering laughs and helping people realize for a few minutes that a man in a wheelchair without arms and legs is just like anyone else. The season begins in a month. Prospect High School. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. I turned around, took two to three steps and then I heard it." He sees me, and he stands up straight and pulls himself together so he can open the door for me. "If I can go out there and power through four or five hours, then I'm OK." It's now a full-on escort -- a motorized wheelchair flanked by two cars with their hazards flashing. But this time, he has no idea the belt around his waist isn't buckled. "You know how it is." Where do I put my hands? "Great job, Coach. ", RELATED: Football coach born without arms or legs to receive Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at 2019 ESPYS, "'Who says I can't?' The coach nods and says "thank you.". But seven? ! The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. They chose to stay with him. Neither team has moved the ball all day, with the game's only points coming on a 35-yard Sobrato field goal three minutes earlier. . More SC Featured You guys fought your butts off. Otherwise it won't work. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. the driver asks. When coaches ask you to go on an official visit, paid for by the school's program, they're using their budget to show off their school and create an impressive experience for you as a recruit. But here, he's in his element. Unlike fighting or fantasy games where he constantly had to engage, football gave him breaks. Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. I panic. What if I drop him? He sees me, and he stands up straight and pulls himself together so he can open the door for me. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. Watch Later. I mention that one of the themes I'm thinking about for his story is this idea of a beautiful mind. Email Melissa Feucht. This also ensures that prospects will have time to interact with the coaches and learn from them in a small group and one-on-one setting. They sit in front of us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes. He can be stubborn. "I'm sitting right there at the bar next to you. And that includes getting on the officials when something doesn't go his way. It gives me this sense of independence., Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. But he's always there for the kids. H.S. While he knows that day will be a life-changing experience, he remains humble. "We have unfinished business.". I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. It's society that imposes that grief. Later, she would cover Rob in blankets when they went in public. How does he sleep? How does he eat? It doesnt lead to a good place. Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend "I just wanted to coach football." It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. Doctors recommend surgery. "Home," he answers. Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. You don't have a realistic view of your ability and playing level. Coaches from Southwestern University and Nicholls State University will lead this showcase and will be joined by other college coaches from various programs. He doesn't listen. I'm sorry." The left side of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage. "Let's get to the bottom of it. Pick a play, execute for a few seconds, take a break, pick another play and repeat. It seems like no big deal. I suggest we move to a lower table and make things easier. And Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of life. But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. The positiveness of your mind can get you to do unbelievable things and feats and that's what he does.". Prospect Golf Course . When his friends played basketball, Rob was the referee. He despises the word "special.". "Who says I can't?" Mendez orders a water. THE DAY AFTER teaching his quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez sits under the lights at the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted. It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. He never quit and now he has everyone asking, "Who says I can't?". I'm lazy. The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. I've been a 2 year starter on the varsity football team. There, he drives his chair into the living room, where his roommate and caretaker, Mike McAvoy, waits on the couch. 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