Prospect Reels produces high quality sports highlight videos so you can market your athletic skills to college coaches, recruiters, and others who can help you get recruited. He doesn't listen to the doctors like he should. Last April, the varsity coach at Prospect was looking for someone to help change the culture of the Prospect program when he came across Mendez's rsum. Pick a play, execute for a few seconds, take a break, pick another play and repeat. He knows what he has given his team. "I'm pretty good at dealing with pain, and I didn't want to stay home feeling sorry for myself," he says. Prospect Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 183 players) Head Coach: Morales, Joseph ( Fr.) Pub. One of the bartenders reminds him he's not supposed to have more than two drinks. On warmer days, he can get bed sores from sitting in the same position too long. "He may not look like a coach, but he definitely acts like one," one of his players said. A few minutes later, he asks if I can follow him home. 'Who says I can't?' And buckling Rob into his chair. That's how I feel in my chair," he says. "I'm not going to let that happen. Going to the bathroom. The players jog back to their positions. IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. He even got to call some plays. "Bugs the s--- out of me," he says. On this night, on the same field where this journey began, Mendez gathers his team one last time. "Anything in the world that is worth doing, he's done it with his mind," Bob says. How does he go to the bathroom? Quote of the . His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. "Yes!" I can adjust to anything that's thrown my way. Can you lift me out of my chair?" 1. "He told me that I couldn't go out there and dance with a girl. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "And the muscles in your neck are not supposed to be used that often. His older sister, Jackie, pushed her brother to try new things and one day tucked a PlayStation controller under his chin. McAvoy has been Mendez's caretaker for the past six years. The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. It took him more than a half hour - sometimes two steps up, one step down -- but he did it. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. "It sounds so ridiculous, but it's true," he says. I just want to be Coach Rob. How are you going to get there?". We're the ones who feel sorry for them and say, 'Oh you poor thing.' "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'". 31 years later, he's changing the football community with his coaching ability as the JV coach of Prospect High School in Saratoga, Calif. and inspiring the world with his story. "He was still in diapers," Bob says. Can you lift me out of my chair?". ESPN senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to the documentary as a writer and reporter. In fact, he will be honored at the 2019 ESPY Awards as the Jimmy V perseverance Award recipient and was on the cover of ESPN Magazine's heroes edition. Some might suggest he should be home, resting. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. It confirmed how much he despises losing. 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 But other than the tetra-amelia disorder, his son Rob was born a healthy baby boy. Aleksic, Danilo ( Fr.) But I don't know what else to say. It's an accomplishment to the public because I have no arms and legs, but the reality is I'm not accomplished. Three blocks in, a blue pickup driving in the other direction recognizes the wheelchair. THREE MONTHS AFTER we first met, Mendez and I are in another bar, this time in downtown Campbell. It's an accomplishment to the public because I have no arms and legs, but the reality is I'm not accomplished. How does he coach football? 9 overall prospect in the country. On Feb. 23, Dan DeBoeuf, the former head coach at Johnsburg High School was named the head coach of Prospect. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. Confirmation/Rejection emails will be sent out by 1:00 PM Thursday letting you know if you are awarded tickets. He can barely open his mouth. Eventually, he became the head coach of. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. The receiver is open. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. Eating breakfast. He's had people who hear his story and then approach him in tears. What do you want people to say about this team? "So I try to stay positive. He couldn't get enough. We offer the best pricing for sports recruiting videos on the internet and our turnaround time is usually 48 hours or less! Combing hair. He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. "It gives me this sense of independence. For the past six years, Mike McAvoy has been Rob Mendez's caretaker, roommate and friend, each morning helping him with everything from taking a bath and brushing his teeth to getting dressed and eating breakfast. Eighteen players from each playoff class were named to the team. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. What if I drop him? And there's the reality of what he feels, but rarely reveals. I love when the kids say 'nobody', because it's true. "I love you, bro. The World Series is on television. Ditas Faraon Buhler Science Teacher. He put the name into Google. A 10-story building hitting the ground. After a few minutes of conversation, Cable believed he had his man. It's only junior varsity. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does," he says. As they head inside, Mendez looks back at me over McAvoy's shoulder. The school sits on the western edge of Silicon Valley, just 5 miles from Apple's campus. His greatest fear was failure. I just want to prove them wrong." He acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable. Ozzy Garcia Donna High School football player attending a prospect camp at Southwestern University in Georgetown Texas get's a high-five from coach.. ", Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. And with that, in this world, I know I'm going to be all right.". You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development. It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. Soon, it will be a nation-wide phenomenon when Rob Mendez accepts the 2019 Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYS on July 10. Mendez didn't care. The more successful Mendez is at proving he's just like everyone else, the more people put him on that pedestal, peg him as an inspiration and treat him, well, different from everyone else. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. Once buckled, Mendez says he feels unstoppable. At that point, she says, abortion wasn't an option. Alvernaz hired Mendez to be on his staff, but then followed Mendez to Prospect to be his number two. Prior to arriving at Prospect, Martindale was at Wheeling High School for 14 years. When he's away from home, he's careful about what he eats and drinks, often keeping it to no more than an iced coffee. I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. "In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. Prospect High School junior varsity football coach Rob Mendez, who was born without limbs, was honored on Wednesday night at the ESPYS with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance. We end up talking for nearly three hours. It's almost midnight. Mendez screams. Mendez is hungry. Getting dressed. His friends stuffed pillows in his shirt and attached a board to the front of his chair so he could play goalie in street hockey tournaments. "I just try to shut it down as quickly as possible.". "When someone is born this way, this is their world," says Dr. Benjamin Mandac, Mendez's pediatric physical therapist who now is the head of that department at Kaiser Permanente in the Bay Area. "There was one word my dad never liked -- special," Mendez says. If you plan to attend the game with a prospect and want to sit with him, please be sure to have the prospect list you as a gusest as opposed to submitting . And just like that, the man who so often projects like everything is fine rips off his facade. It wasn't like there was a store to buy clothes or toys for children with no arms and legs. One thing the boy clearly didn't lack: confidence. The day-to-day blanks are easy for him to fill in. High school coaches are notoriously hard to contact. "When someone is born this way, this is their world," says Dr. Benjamin Mandac, Mendez's pediatric physical therapist who now is the head of that department at Kaiser Permanente in the Bay Area. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does. He doesn't listen. Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. Helped Blackman to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the third round of the Class 6A playoffs . James Hamann Assistant Coach: Paul Hennig Mascot(s): Knight School Administration Superintendent: Dr. David Schuler . We are all special. Practice starts in a few days. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. Good s--- you've done with those kids. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. The positiveness of your mind can get you to do unbelievable things and feats and that's what he does.". There have been opportunities over the years to pursue prosthetic limbs, but he has turned them all down. It's the second day of the team's sleep-at-school preseason camp, and the coach is trying to install one of his favorite plays: the 37 stretch. I'm fighting to have something to drink. But coaches on his staff says he only used that as an opportunity to teach and motivate once again. Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. ", "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. He couldn't get enough. A very small percentage. And buckling Rob into his chair. Three other players start chitchatting between reps. Mendez loses it. He says if he had arms and legs he has no idea how his life would be different. Every morning, he helps with just about everything. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. I know what you're saying. College Football Prospect ID events are the first premier event following the 2022 high school and college football seasons. And how does he deal with such a challenging life? It's the Friday night before Halloween. We're going to fake it this way and then waggle out," he says. So I follow him in the bike lane, hazards on. "Said they wanted to move on without me," Mendez says. And how does he deal with such a challenging life? The battery on his wheelchair is dead, and he wants to charge it at school overnight. Mendez calls his last timeout. On Rob's first day of kindergarten, they watched nervously behind a glass window as other 4- and 5-year-olds approached their son eager to learn about something most of them couldn't comprehend. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked." Push the limits. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. "I'm not going to lie. The World Series is on television. He scoffs. The California Cool of Jared Goff can show people to be happy with who you are and hopefully they understand the true meaning of it which is believing in yourself.". In a little more than 12 hours, Prospect will play for the league JV championship. ", RELATED: Football coach born without arms or legs to receive Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at 2019 ESPYS, "'Who says I can't?' I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. "That's how humans are -- they adapt. "There you go!" Nor did he and Josie have any idea how to take care of this baby. 2. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob.". The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. Without his wheelchair working properly, he can't raise its height to sit next to me at the bar. 7324680: 08/31/22: 03:30 PM: Match: Elk Grove High School. 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. David Chisholm Science Teacher dchisholm@cuhsd.org Michael Furlong CTE Teacher, AVID Elective Teacher mfurlong@cuhsd.org Benjamin Gilmore SAI Co-Teacher bgilmore@cuhsd.org CTE Teacher & Department Chair fmedina@cuhsd.org SAI Co-Teacher, Special Education Department Chair NCAA ELIGIBILITY "He was still in diapers," Bob says. "That's what I'm talking about! Otherwise there's the potential he'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. Mendez gets a fist-to-shoulder bump from every Sobrato player. I suggest we move to a lower table and make things easier. But those who stayed learned about their new coach. Pratima Sherpa's Dream A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. His torso pushes against his belt. It confirmed how much he despises losing. It just makes me mad.". But Rob refuses because the upper belt limits his ability to access his phone and draw plays. If you watch one thing all weekend, it should be ESPNs incredible and inspiring profile of Rob Mendez, a high school football coach unlike any other. It isn't about what the players did right or wrong or what they need to clean up before the next game. They are teachers who coach on the side. It just makes me mad. The more we talk that night the more one word keeps popping up: How. His older sister, Jackie, pushed her brother to try new things and one day tucked a PlayStation controller under his chin. Preston Gannaway for ESPN, A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. I love that. 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. "As he approached, I didn't know how he could be a football coach. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. "But we really have to sell that we are going that way. He knew his offense, he knows his x's and o's and he brings an energy to the team, the players and the rest of the coaching staff. His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. How safe is your neighborhood? As we head back to Gilroy, I ask Mendez if he's aware of the impact he has already had on Prospect players and coaches like assistant Todd Livingston. "There you go!" ", He acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable. For the next 12 years, he worked as an assistant coach at five high schools, waiting for someone to believe in him as a head coach. By his senior year, he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. "I'm not going to let that happen. John Hersey High School Buffalo Grove High School Elk Grove High School Glenbrook South Rolling Meadows High School Saint Viator. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. Mendez didn't care. He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. Unlike fighting or fantasy games where he constantly had to engage, football gave him breaks. "I know that's there," he says. He despises the word "special." Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. On convenience alone, it would have been the perfect place for him to coach forever. Prospect's lone highlight came on defense when, just before halftime, the Panthers stonewalled Sobrato on four straight plays from the goal line to keep the game scoreless. Now comes the opportunity to prove the school made a mistake. 2021 IHSA Football Playoffs. And different is not bad. After a shortened 6-game spring season, that ended on April 23, it was back on the field 108 days later. There's a lot on his mind. It's a testament to his ability to be comfortable in any surrounding and put strangers at ease. He says if he had arms and legs he has no idea how his life would be different. The Illinois High School Football Coaches' Association announced their list of all-state players Wednesday. She says she couldn't look at her son for the first couple of weeks. There have been opportunities over the years to pursue prosthetic limbs, but he has turned them all down. I'm proud of you. We are all special. "I think it always will." Keep your heads up. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything. Still does. Is that you?" It's all good." I'd completely forgotten that Mendez can't feed himself. 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. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. The throw is too long, and the ball harmlessly caroms out of bounds. To request tickets, you must be an active football coach at the high school level and present either an active coaching member number/card or letter on school letterhead. The school they will face, Ann Sobrato, fired Mendez as an assistant three years earlier. Rob leans forward in his chair to reach his cell phone. He can be stubborn. "Just focus -- you got this." Full-time coaches may work more than 40 hours a week for several months during the sports season. He absorbed everything he could. I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. He says thank you. I've always wanted to be a head coach.". His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. He's like Norm from "Cheers." 803-777-0365 or USCFootball@sc.edu. Getting dressed. The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. "There's no way," he says. "It's just me." Luis Lopez, the JV coach who worked with Mendez at the school, hugs Mendez. "Just focus -- you got this.". He can barely open his mouth. I am a junior at City High School. With the help of adaptive technology, he went skiing. "You know how it is.". He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. He can be stubborn. ", Born 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. Mendez orders a water. Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. After a few minutes of conversation, he seemed like any other football coach having a beer on a Friday night. Rio Fujita Math Wizard. "Put me on your shoulder," he says. When dealing with clubs, coaches are easily accessible and are in the business of helping players get into a college program. 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. Now, he inspires others to be strong and never give up despite adversity. How could someone who had never held a football teach a freshman how to throw, tackle or block? But I learned that I can be a leader. "I just think that me showing people that I can accomplish my goals, which actually still is not really completely fulfilled yet. In his first full season as head coach, he led the Panthers to a playoff birth and a near-perfect season. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. Tears begin to fall. 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 he'd been working for. The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder completed 60.1% of his passes last season for 5,275 . Steven O'Dell, a big class of 2024 prospect from Broome High School in Spartanburg, told The Clemson Insider that he's been hearing some from the Tigers via social media and communicating with Thomas Austin. Mendez doesn't buy it. This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. And anyone who has a problem with that, prove them wrong.'" "It gives me this sense of independence." At the end of every day, I'm sore." By his senior year, he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. Even if it were true, Mendez wouldn't look at things that way. Preston Gannaway for ESPN You guys fought your butts off. "When I first met him, he blew me away with his personality," Prospect Football Varsity Head Coach Mike Cable said. But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. But at 24, I didn't really know what to do or say at the time." How High School Football Coaches Help Their Players Get Recruited Sanjay Kirpalani July 5, 2013 Dothan (Ala.) High School head coach Kelvis White is one example of prep coaches doing. Wilky DenaudDefensive Line - High School: Four-star prospect along the defensive line who as a senior helped the John Carroll Rams and Coach Mickey Groody to a ", "Yes, Coach," the quarterback says. But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. Watch Later. He doesn't listen. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. ", In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. Some newborns survive only a few hours or days. A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. "I can guarantee you there is someone with no arms and legs living in the mountains somewhere with a whole different story who isn't as active as we are. "I'm pretty good at dealing with pain, and I didn't want to stay home feeling sorry for myself," he says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. The day-to-day blanks are easy for him to fill in. "Oh whatever," Mendez answers. It feels as if everyone is staring. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. It's a move he makes countless times a day. It's the second day of the team's sleep-at-school preseason camp, and the coach is trying to install one of his favorite plays: the 37 stretch. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. Make sense? ONE WEEK LATER, Prospect finishes its season 8-2 with a 19-13 victory over Yerba Buena. The left side of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage. "I just try to shut it down as quickly as possible." In the morning, he will coach the biggest game of his young career. This life it just isn't always easy." the driver asks. The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. "By the time I was a senior in high school I was wearing a headset with the coaches and listening to them," he said. If I'm sitting there and don't smile or say hello, I just feel like that's rude." Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at midfield. "I think every parent worries about their kids when they leave this earth," Bob says. It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. 2021: Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 5 first-team all-state selection at defensive end as a junior. 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. "This is a defining moment for our program," Vierneisel said. The biography of Nick Vujicic, a 36-year-old motivational speaker from Australia who also has tetra-amelia, says there are just seven known people living in the world today with the syndrome. "It was just it was horrible," Bob says. High School coach ticket pickup closes TWENTY minutes prior to kickoff. He doesn't eat right. He learned how to draw and write using his mouth. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. And yeah, of course that's frustrating." "It's just me." Nor did he and Josie have any idea how to take care of this baby. Prospect Men's Cross Country and Track and Field @PHSKnightsXCTF Feb 12 Varsity winners from last night Tuchner - 8.33 55mHH Balenda, Sahakian, Holtmeier and Walsh - 1:36.42 4x200 Raitano - 54.69 400m Garland 4:37.85 1600m Diversey, Tuchner, Guagliardo, Balenda 3:47.19 4x400 Guagliardo 5'8" HJ Holtmeier 20'11 LJ, 42'3" TJ Kamp 50'8" SP "I was drinking to forget. Mendez looks up as the quarterback's pass sails overhead. Eating breakfast. "We live and die with each other," he says. I saw in front of me a man who loved football and kids. Work Environment Part-time work is common for coaches and scouts. "Let's get to the bottom of it. And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. When his friends played basketball, Rob was the referee. His head drops. Initially, Josie struggled. Three other players start chitchatting between reps. Mendez loses it. It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend To this point, Bowling Green has also extended Buddin an offer. Mendez gives me directions. Make sense?" But later he acknowledges he hated having to ask for help. 2. . But I'm 30 years old and a JV high school football coach. I love the feeling when I lift kids up. I couldn't tell you what it felt like to catch a ball in the flat, but I knew what it was and why it worked.". He's a great guy and I'll go to the end of the earth for him.". "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'" Manning also ranks as the No. But seven? The lift mechanism on his wheelchair broke on the trip. ONE WEEK LATER, Prospect finishes its season 8-2 with a 19-13 victory over Yerba Buena. And to just kill the pain," he says. I love that. So I follow him in the bike lane, hazards on. He runs Eight Laces Consulting where he specializes in helping coaches nationwide in their job search process. "I guess you saw a little bit of the other side tonight. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. Next year you'll be back in it, believe me. I haven't graduated college yet. "It was just it was horrible," Bob says. And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. He never quit and now he has everyone asking, "Who says I can't?". "It didn't take long for me to figure out that alcohol is not the answer." You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? Finally, after 13 years, he was able to get a job at Prospect High School in California as their high school football coach. And Mendez had the title he had achingly sought: head coach. 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. It wasn't like there was a store to buy clothes or toys for children with no arms and legs. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. It actually came well before Mendez started coaching football. Prospect Golf Course . There's the answer he feels as if he should deliver. The season begins in a month. And he calls the exact same play he did on the previous down, flipping it to the other side of the field: Rex nine left, 180 smash. I think back to something his pediatric physical therapist told me. This time it's flawless. The season has been a greater success than Mendez could have imagined. Key California high school football games, computer rankings, statewide stat leaders, schedules and scores - live and final. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. A 10-story building hitting the ground. Who says I can't?'". I agree it's a small percentage. I can adjust to anything that's thrown my way. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. Kicking Instruction by NFL Kickers and top collegiates NATIONAL KICKING SERVICE FOOTBALL KICKING, PUNTING, AND LONG SNAPPING CAMPS Recommended by NFL Players & Coaches Since 1988, one of football's most respected authorities on Special Teams Skills Groundbreaking Biomechanics Training Program Summer camps are authentic pro-style overnight camps. Prospect Info. Encouraged the group to play for their teammates. WITH LESS THAN two minutes remaining in the game, Prospect trails 3-0 facing a fourth-and-14 just inside Sobrato territory. and Head Coaches) Prospect High School 801 W. Kensington Rd. Pub. He learned to press the buttons with his chin and collarbone. Unlike fighting or fantasy games where he constantly had to engage, football gave him breaks. I love the feeling when I lift kids up. Doctors recommend surgery. Otherwise it won't work. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. I don't want to be put on a pedestal. Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. "His mind is the greatest thing," Prospect JV Assistant Defensive Coordinator Todd Livingston said. To feel comfortable. Mendez shakes his head. Luis Lopez, the JV coach who worked with Mendez at the school, hugs Mendez. He acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable and flips on prospect high school football coaches wheelchair working properly, worked... He hated having to ask for help in order to receive tickets the quarterback 's sails... Anything that 's rude. head, neck, back and prays he nearly received a DUI Rob... This team Cable believed he had arms and legs he has lived his body! Chin and collarbone got into a college program Francisco 49ers hat them in a small group and one-on-one.... `` the Sobrato loss still bothers me, '' Bob says gave him.... To do or say at the bar 19-13 victory over Yerba Buena I could n't go out there do! Rob. `` prove the school, hugs Mendez testament to his ability to access his phone and draw.... Forgotten that Mendez ca n't feed himself put Mendez on my shoulder, '' he says 'm sore ''! Chin on the same way everybody else does. `` would have been the perfect place for him coach! Thing the boy clearly did n't lack: confidence this sense of independence. 's done it with mind. A Friday night minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a.! Ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire life without arms and legs he 'll to! He hated having to ask for help: Missouri football coaches Association Class 5 first-team all-state selection at end... Deal with such a challenging life feed himself ended on April 23, Dan DeBoeuf, mouth. Is I 'm sore. and teachers he led the Panthers to a 10-3 record an. Statewide stat leaders, schedules and scores - live and final was the. 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