Every morning, he helps with just about everything. Prospect High School Football team golf tournament and smoked BBQ fundraiser! "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. 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 can barely open his mouth. 2021: Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 5 first-team all-state selection at defensive end as a junior. But he wonders whether the players have any idea what they've given him. You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. He even got to call some plays. Three other players start chitchatting between reps. Mendez loses it. What if I drop him? "I love you, bro. On Feb. 23, Dan DeBoeuf, the former head coach at Johnsburg High School was named the head coach of Prospect. Once buckled, Mendez says he feels unstoppable. Is that you?" One player quit because of Mendez. Also by Wayne Drehs: Grounds for Return. Rob leans forward in his chair to reach his cell phone. He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. Mendez calls his last timeout. 1 poison. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. I just want to prove them wrong." ! He can see how they've grown as players and people. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. He scoffs. Luis Lopez, the JV coach who worked with Mendez at the school, hugs Mendez. But coaches on his staff says he only used that as an opportunity to teach and motivate once again. ", Mendez hopes to someday have the opportunity to coach varsity. The California Cool of Jared Goff "I just think that me showing people that I can accomplish my goals, which actually still is not really completely fulfilled yet. Says McAvoy: "That's just him. Confirmation/Rejection emails will be sent out by 1:00 PM Thursday letting you know if you are awarded tickets. Where do I put my hands? was something that was very much for me to always stick with and I hope people take away from it in a positive way where they are comfortable to motivate themselves to do whatever they want in life.". I suggest we move to a lower table and make things easier. In a little more than 12 hours, Prospect will play for the league JV championship. And different is not bad. I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. That's how I feel in my chair," he says. He drew up game plans on Madden and took them to practice. "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. ", Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. I unbuckle the belt around his waist and weave it through the slits torn on the sides of his shirt. Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. But I'm 30 years old and a JV high school football coach. I'm lazy. Tears begin to fall. I can adjust to anything that's thrown my way. Mendez hopes to someday have the opportunity to coach varsity. But this time, he has no idea the belt around his waist isn't buckled. 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. There's the answer he feels as if he should deliver. He's had people who hear his story and then approach him in tears. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. I'm proud of everyone. Elk Grove High School. With the pen, Mendez draws the X's and O's of what the play is supposed to look like and why. 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. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. I hope that 'who says I can't?' And that includes getting on the officials when something doesn't go his way. Mt. THE DAY AFTER teaching his quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez sits under the lights at the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted. Bennett, Will Cassaidy, Matthew Dietrich, Connor Konieczka, Sean ( Sr.) Letzig, Charles ( Fr.) "How in the world am I supposed to handle that?" This life it just isn't always easy." She says she couldn't look at her son for the first couple of weeks. 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. "He told me that I couldn't go out there and dance with a girl. "We live and die with each other," he says. However, the phrase was not born on the gridiron. But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. . That man was Mike Cable. "It's just me." I love it. IT WASN'T UNTIL an ultrasound in the eighth month of her pregnancy that Rob's mother, Josie, found out her son was not growing limbs. "Just focus -- you got this." He doesn't listen. "I like the way I am, really," he says. Mendez screams. ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals all rank the 5-10, 170-pound receiver as a four-star prospect but his high school coach, former UK defensive back Maurice "Moe" Douglass, is not sure that does him justice. Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. 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 panic. Only football coach requests will be accepted. "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. It's just me. How does he eat? No way. The battery on Mendez's wheelchair is dead, so two Panthers push him onto the field. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. Mendez is hungry. He asks his quarterback for a hug. 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. Work Environment Part-time work is common for coaches and scouts. Georgia Tech Football allows high school football coaches to request two (2) complimentary tickets to attend regular season home football games. 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. So I try not to complain. It's almost midnight. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. Mendez struggles to deal with back and neck pain from spending all day in his chair. He developed a great football mind, but he wanted more. Most everyone recognizes him and says hello. We're going to fake it this way and then waggle out," he says. "I use my neck like my arm," Mendez says. 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. But I learned that I can be a leader. "But we really have to sell that we are going that way. Michael Furlong CTE Teacher, AVID Elective Teacher. His presence should tell anyone, if you're paying attention, that your mind is the most powerful thing. The last question is far more complicated. "It didn't take long for me to figure out that alcohol is not the answer." And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. Mendez didn't care. Aleksic, Danilo ( Fr.) A very small percentage. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. But he's always there for the kids. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. Who says I can't?'". Please check your email for a confirmation. I'd completely forgotten that Mendez can't feed himself. I think back to something his pediatric physical therapist told me. "It wasn't very polite or sensitive. "Special is bulls---. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/02/rob-mendez-football-coach, Why hiring Sean Payton will require NFL teams to make an expensive trade with the Saints, Win or lose, the Bengals can prove Joe Mixon's 'big dog of the AFC' claim right against Buffalo, Trevor Lawrence revealed his Waffle House order after the Jaguars wild comeback win over Chargers, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. "Great job, Coach. 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. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . He doesn't eat right. With the help of adaptive technology, he went skiing. Brushing teeth. He's like Norm from "Cheers." 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. He drew up game plans on Madden and took them to practice. He says he would consider prosthetics only if he ever became a father. As they head inside, Mendez looks back at me over McAvoy's shoulder. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. I'm sorry. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" 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. I mention that one of the themes I'm thinking about for his story is this idea of a beautiful mind. And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. "There was one word my dad never liked -- special," Mendez says. The football team won the 7A State Championship in 2001, 2002, and 2005. . His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. "Where you going, man?" Randy Clark (class of 1975) . Tee times will be between 10 AM and Noon with a smoked bbq lunch buffet served by award-winning BBQ Chefs from Old Greenwood BBQ! There have been opportunities over the years to pursue prosthetic limbs, but he has turned them all down. Mendez tries to explain, but the kid doesn't get it. Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at midfield. This ensures that the coaches can spend quality time with all players attending and are not overwhelmed with large camp numbers. 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. I'm sorry." I should have a wife by now. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. I swear. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. "By the time I was a senior in high school I was wearing a headset with the coaches and listening to them," he said. "I've always been someone to be not afraid of failure," Mendez said. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. I said, 'oh yeah? By his senior year, he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. ", Mendez leans forward in his chair. "There was one word my dad never liked -- special," Mendez says. Mendez operates his cellphone, attached to a stand on his wheelchair, with his nose and lips. They run the play again. He says if he had arms and legs he has no idea how his life would be different. That man was Mike Cable. He can see how they've grown as players and people. For now, he's still glowing from the impact his team had on him in his first JV season. And ended each practice with the same message: I love you guys. At that point, she says, abortion wasn't an option. It feels as if everyone is staring. One way he was able to do this is through coaching football. How are you going to get there?" WVSN instantly reached out to the 2025 class [] WVSN instantly reached out to the 2025 class prospect to find out more about his talks with WVU offensive line coach Matt Moore and his current mindset about his future. He learned to press the buttons with his chin and collarbone. 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. THE DAY AFTER teaching his quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez sits under the lights at the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted. This is the opportunity he has waited 12 years for, the one he long felt he deserved but worried would never come. "I've been getting messages on Twitter . "Yes, Coach," the quarterback says. And few at Prospect High School, some 40 miles up the road in Saratoga, can remember the last time its JV won much of anything. His comes with a straw. Without his wheelchair working properly, he can't raise its height to sit next to me at the bar. I love that. It gives me hope for the world." He draws and writes with his mouth. How does he eat? An assistant coach holds a whiteboard a few inches in front of Mendez. He immediately snaps. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. What do you want out of this year? "Put me on your shoulder," he says. "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 just knew he was the right man for the job.". I'm proud of you. Mendez gives me directions. The day is designed by college coaches in order to get the most out of everyone's time. As the quarterback rolls out, the play unfolds perfectly. His comes with a straw. He runs Eight Laces Consulting where he specializes in helping coaches nationwide in their job search process. "It gives me this sense of independence. I'm in Las Vegas and there's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was just in a fight. Nobody but yourself can hold yourself back. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. Without his wheelchair working properly, he can't raise its height to sit next to me at the bar. You guys fought your butts off. You're different. Bob hears the sound from a few feet away. There, he drives his chair into the living room, where his roommate and caretaker, Mike McAvoy, waits on the couch. "So I try to stay positive. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. He sees me, and he stands up straight and pulls himself together so he can open the door for me. I'm proud of everyone. Taking a bath. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. he says. 1 poison," he says. Mendez operates his cellphone, attached to a stand on his wheelchair, with his nose and lips. Prepped at Blackman High School under head coach Chandler Tygard . There is nothing to break his fall. And buckling Rob into his chair. "It brings out the best in people. How does he sleep? Come play a 9-hole scramble at Sunken Gardens in Sunnyvale on July 30th! Mendez shakes his head. Doctors recommend surgery. I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. "And the muscles in your neck are not supposed to be used that often. But as soon as I met and spoke with him, the chair disappeared. On 10/28, the Prospect varsity football team won their neutral playoff game against Reavis (Burbank, IL) by a score of 62-13. Rob is no different." This is roughly the same player-to-coach ratio on a college football roster. "We live and die with each other," he says. And he doesn't like the idea I have for framing his story. I agree it's a small percentage. Otherwise there's the potential he'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. Prospect High School. Preston Gannaway for ESPN A few minutes later, he asks if I can follow him home. The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. "That's what I'm talking about!" A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob.". Mendez gets a fist-to-shoulder bump from every Sobrato player. 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. Now he has everyone asking, "who says I can't? Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. More award-winning storytelling from SC Featured Rob is no different.". "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. Key California high school football games, computer rankings, statewide stat leaders, schedules and scores - live and final. Not having arms or legs has stopped Mendez from being able to play sports or do certain jobs he has always been interested in, like being an electrician, but he always fought to find ways to be happy. "I was drinking to forget. By Tuesday afternoon, he's back at Prospect for practice, apologizing to his players for Monday's absence. Getting dressed. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. We end up talking for nearly three hours. Bob eventually turned to alcohol. on demand Sep 30, 2022 2:45 PM PDT. It's an image his brain can't compute. His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. His cell phone Mendez acknowledges that his presence should tell anyone, if you awarded... They never had it day in his chair into the living room, where his roommate and,... Coaching football she says she could n't look at her son for the couple! Under head coach Chandler Tygard I lift him out of everyone & # ;. A few inches in front of Mendez looks back at Prospect for practice, apologizing to players. The first couple of weeks practice, apologizing to his players for Monday 's absence play perfectly... Mendez draws the X 's and O 's of what the play unfolds perfectly has asking! 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