Otherwise it won't work. When dealing with clubs, coaches are easily accessible and are in the business of helping players get into a college program. The throw is too long, and the ball harmlessly caroms out of bounds. How do you move a fully grown adult with no arms and legs? And he doesn't like the idea I have for framing his story. I swear I buckled him in. To feel comfortable. "It was just it was horrible," Bob says. It doesn't lead to a good place. He despises the word "special." But he hates the sidewalk. But coaches on his staff says he only used that as an opportunity to teach and motivate once again. The receiver is open. 1 poison. It seems like no big deal. "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'". Where do I put my hands? They just want to move, explore and live. They wanted Bob to see other babies born with disabilities. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. If Rob sensed someone staring, he'd roll up and introduce himself. It's only junior varsity. You don't have a realistic view of your ability and playing level. Rob's parents tried to integrate him as early as they could, putting him in preschool at 18 months. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does. 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. His jaw dropped. With the pen, Mendez draws the X's and O's of what the play is supposed to look like and why. Mendez struggles to deal with back and neck pain from spending all day in his chair. Also by Wayne Drehs: Grounds for Return. There's the answer he feels as if he should deliver. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. 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 He started as a manager on his Gilroy High School team as a freshman. The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. He learned how to draw and write using his mouth. The more we talk that night the more one word keeps popping up: How. Clemson Tiger Bryan Bresee returned from an ACL injury to become a highly rated defensive draft prospect. WITH LESS THAN two minutes remaining in the game, Prospect trails 3-0 facing a fourth-and-14 just inside Sobrato territory. It's the Friday night before Halloween. 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. Prospect High School JV Football Coach Rob Mendez was born with a rare disorder that left him with no arms or legs. The coach. By Tuesday afternoon, he's back at Prospect for practice, apologizing to his players for Monday's absence. Combing hair. "Oh whatever," Mendez answers. on demand Sep 30, 2022 2:45 PM PDT. Gradey Dick, a five-star Kansas commit, enjoyed one of the greatest shooting seasons in high school basketball history. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. But I learned that I can be a leader. Some of his plays even came from playing Madden. For the last few minutes of our ride, we both keep quiet. The team jogs over and surrounds him. Afterward, Bob says doctors and nurses would walk by and stare. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. "We live and die." Prospect High School. I hope that 'who says I can't?' I'm in Las Vegas and there's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was just in a fight. "Complaining is my No. 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. I unbuckle the belt around his waist and weave it through the slits torn on the sides of his shirt. "But even before he could talk, I said, 'Somewhere, somebody is going to open a door for this kid and he's going to shine.'" He knows what he has given his team. Mendez tries to explain, but the kid doesn't get it. Pick a play, execute for a few seconds, take a break, pick another play and repeat. This life it just isn't always easy. What do you want people to say about this team? Things like that happen all the time. Please check your email for a confirmation. How are you going to get there?" 2. 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. A few minutes later, he asks if I can follow him home. He asks his quarterback for a hug. "You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? He drew up game plans on Madden and took them to practice. "Bugs the s--- out of me," he says. Eating breakfast. Those who do survive often end up with significant intellectual disabilities. Initially, Josie struggled. For Rob, the message from his father was simple: Embrace your differences. He put the name into Google. 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. He finished second. On convenience alone, it would have been the perfect place for him to coach forever. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. This time it's flawless. is an original statement for myself to always be determined and stay hungry in life," Mendez said. And Lewis Hamilton living the hell out of life. With the pen, Mendez draws the X's and O's of what the play is supposed to look like and why. 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. It doesn't lead to a good place. THE DAY AFTER teaching his quarterback the 37 stretch, Mendez sits under the lights at the Prospect 50-yard line, exhausted. "No, no, no," he says. How does he eat? I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. For now, I start with a topic far simpler: football. 803-777-0365 or USCFootball@sc.edu. He's like Norm from "Cheers." "It brings out the best in people. Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. "It's just me." Preston Gannaway for ESPN "You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? I love it. "Screw that," he says. One of the bartenders reminds him he's not supposed to have more than two drinks. He's meeting me at the bar. He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. "Be bold and fail, be bold and fail, be bold and succeed. Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at midfield. "No, no, no," he says. All Rights Reserved. Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. "Just focus -- you got this.". As a senior, had 74 catches for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns . But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. 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. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "I like the way I am, really," he says. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. One way he was able to do this is through coaching football. "And you're risking it all by not wearing an upper belt.". "They don't have the grief of losing a limb because they never had it. It just makes me mad. It's an accomplishment to the public because I have no arms and legs, but the reality is I'm not accomplished. Congratulations to @ProspectXCTF Coach Pete Wintermute on his @ITCCCA XC Coach of the Year and the Track Coach of the Year!!! he yells. To feel comfortable. As he was not able to play football, Mendez taught himself the game by playing Madden football video games. Soon, it will be a nation-wide phenomenon when Rob Mendez accepts the 2019 Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYS on July 10. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. by Elk Grove. He talked about building a family. "It is a quick turnaround that's for sure, "said Prospect coach Dan DeBoeuf, whose team was able to get a full practice completed Monday afternoon. ", Mendez leans forward in his chair. Without his wheelchair working properly, he can't raise its height to sit next to me at the bar. Bob hears the sound from a few feet away. "I just try to shut it down as quickly as possible.". 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 don't want to be put on a pedestal. Subject: Johnny Appleseed 2019 P/SS. The pain of the loss hurt, but it did not stop his fire. Dear Coach Doe; My name is Joe Blow and I am asking you to consider me as a future prospect for the University Notre Dame football team. "I think it always will." Tournament Game 2022 Illinois High School Football Playoff Brackets: IHSA Class 7A Reavis 13 Prospect 62 Final Box Score Tournament Bracket Oct 29, 2022 @ 2:03am Eric Frantz Friday, Oct 28, 2022 Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "He told me that I couldn't go out there and dance with a girl. "And the muscles in your neck are not supposed to be used that often. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. 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. But I don't know what else to say. Mendez picks a spot at the bar next to two women. His torso pushes against his belt. "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. What do you want out of this year? Some might suggest he should be home, resting. Eighteen players from each playoff class were named to the team. I'm lazy. "They would whisper," he says. Prospect stifled Evanston on two late fourth quarter drives, and senior Gavin Flanagan booted the game-winning field goal as Prospect survived with a 17-14 Homecoming win to improve to 3-0 on. That's how I feel in my chair," he says. "It wasn't very polite or sensitive. They run the play again. I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. He doesn't listen. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. The World Series is on television. Unlike fighting or fantasy games where he constantly had to engage, football gave him breaks. Mendez says it started with the Madden video game. I mention that one of the themes I'm thinking about for his story is this idea of a beautiful mind. You guys fought your butts off. This ensures that the coaches can spend quality time with all players attending and are not overwhelmed with large camp numbers. Mendez orders a water. "But we really have to sell that we are going that way. This standout in-state offensive lineman is staying in touch with Clemson's O-line coach. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. You're different. Prospect's Amazing and Dedicated Coaches! LESS THAN TWO weeks before his son's first game as a head coach, Bob Mendez prepares to drive Rob home after Sunday family dinner. How does he coach football? he says. ", Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob." I am currently a senior at Texas Community High School and I will be attending college in the fall semester of 2009. "He's an inspiration to all of us," Alvernaz, said. He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." I love the feeling when I lift kids up. And swimming. 'Who says I can't?' "He may not look like a coach, but he definitely acts like one," one of his players said. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. But at 24, I didn't really know what to do or say at the time.". I agree it's a small percentage. 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. After. However, the phrase was not born on the gridiron. Keep your heads up. Most everyone recognizes him and says hello. Because he weighs 50 pounds, alcohol affects him faster than people who weigh much more. 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. He is 50 pounds of head, neck, torso and waist. "Anything in the world that is worth doing, he's done it with his mind," Bob says. "I've always been someone to be not afraid of failure," Mendez said. For Rob, the message from his father was simple: Embrace your differences. "That's how humans are -- they adapt. What do you want out of this year? I am a team player and a hard 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. The next generation of basketball legends will rock uniforms by New York City-based streetwear designer Eric Emanuel. 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. 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. 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. The California Cool of Jared Goff The coach nods and says "thank you.". After a shortened 6-game spring season, that ended on April 23, it was back on the field 108 days later. But it isn't that simple. Andre Jackson gets instructions from Mendez during the team's first game of the season. The other kids are special, too. 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. Things like that happen all the time. He developed a great football mind, but he wanted more. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. "He was still in diapers," Bob says. Prospect High School, or Prospect, is a public four-year high school in Mount Prospect, Illinois, . And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. Mendez gains happiness and joy through helping others and that will be his message when he takes the podium for his acceptance speech. Blood runs everywhere. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. Mendez rolls over to his dejected quarterback. "It brings out the best in people. "I got it. They gave me a feeling of importance. But Mendez won't give up that easily. ", "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. Embrace it. He doesn't eat right. Otherwise it won't work. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . "Put me on your shoulder," he says. 14 prospect in the state of Tennessee . 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. Next year you'll be back in it, believe me. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. 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." Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. Contents 1 Academics 2 Athletics 3 Campus 4 Other 5 Notable alumni 6 See also 7 References 8 External links Academics [ edit] Prospect offers a mix of advanced and on-level classes. "I just wanted to coach football." I might take two steps forward and then one step back. He tumbles forward. After his speech, Mendez asks for a ride home. WITH LESS THAN two minutes remaining in the game, Prospect trails 3-0 facing a fourth-and-14 just inside Sobrato territory. He can see how they've grown as players and people. "His mind is the greatest thing," Prospect JV Assistant Defensive Coordinator Todd Livingston said. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. 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. "So I try to stay positive. "I guess you saw a little bit of the other side tonight. The players jog back to their positions. Tears begin to fall. It confirmed how much he despises losing. Along the way, Cable invited Mendez's two best players to move to varsity. How does he sleep? And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything." But here, he's in his element. Manning also ranks as the No. Buddin is from Belleville, Michigan and was regarded as the 11th best player from the state during his senior year. And anyone who has a problem with that, prove them wrong.'" "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. This one is simple, there's no reason to attend a showcase camp with nationally ranked D1 programs and pro scouts if you play at the D2 level. 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. He briefly leaves Rob in the garage to run inside. Randy Clark (class of 1975) . The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. High School North Kansas City . "Yes!" Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" He can barely open his mouth. Getting dressed. And that's special because sometimes in this world, on a day-to-day basis, I wish I could do more. 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. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. Fore was named to the Hudl Top 100 in 2017, and the Top 5 Best High School Football Coaches to follow on Twitter by MaxPreps in 2016. Prior to arriving at Prospect, Martindale was at Wheeling High School for 14 years. He says they need him, but you know what? I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. At first, students and staffers did not quite know what to make of Robert, but it did not take him long to put their fears to rest. As the quarterback rolls out, the play unfolds perfectly. "You have to believe," he says. Only football coach requests will be accepted. But Mendez doesn't care about that. . Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. I agree it's a small percentage. When his friends played basketball, Rob was the referee. The Illinois High School Association football playoff semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 20 and the championship games Friday, Nov. 26 and Saturday, Nov. 27. Its classrooms are a melting pot. Mendez didnt allow his differences to limit him, though, and developed a passion for coaching by learning the game of football by playing Madden video games. Rob has fractured cheek and orbital bones and has the effects of a concussion. Livingston told me Mendez's presence is living proof of what humans are capable of. 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. Preston Gannaway for ESPN "I'm not the perfect guy. On Feb. 23, Dan DeBoeuf, the former head coach at Johnsburg High School was named the head coach of Prospect. The school sits on the western edge of Silicon Valley, just 5 miles from Apple's campus. I'm in Las Vegas and there's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was just in a fight. Instead, Mendez repeats two words over and over and over: thank you. "And you're risking it all by not wearing an upper belt." And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. The other kids are special, too. I should have a wife by now. After a few minutes of conversation, Cable believed he had his man. But most importantly, it's given him an understanding of his journey in this world, a path untethered to anything anyone on the outside might say, think or believe. Nor did he and Josie have any idea how to take care of this baby. "He was still in diapers," Bob says. But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. The lift mechanism on his wheelchair broke on the trip. Rob has fractured cheek and orbital bones and has the effects of a concussion. He doesn't listen to the doctors like he should. The players jog back to their positions. "Think about it. Mendez doesn't buy it. It's a move he makes countless times a day. That sentiment has been followed by so many other coaches that he came across in his career. I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. Make sense?" Eating breakfast. It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. There, he drives his chair into the living room, where his roommate and caretaker, Mike McAvoy, waits on the couch. Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which left him without arms or legs. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does. He needs to use the bathroom. He demanded respect, eye contact and accountability. You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. "Said they wanted to move on without me," Mendez says. "It's just me." He rolls in wearing a plain white T-shirt and faded red San Francisco 49ers hat. When we pull into the driveway, McAvoy comes out and carries Mendez into the house. It's just me. "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. Prospect High School Football team golf tournament and smoked BBQ fundraiser! by Elk Grove. "I'm not going to lie. His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. 2021 IHSA Football Playoffs. "I think every parent worries about their kids when they leave this earth," Bob says. 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.". he says. 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. "We are two very different people. For now, he's still glowing from the impact his team had on him in his first JV season. Every morning, he helps with just about everything. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. "We live and die with each other," he says. Coaches from Southwestern University and Nicholls State University will lead this showcase and will be joined by other college coaches from various programs. I think he needs them just as much." "You know how it is.". Pub. It wasn't like there was a store to buy clothes or toys for children with no arms and legs. This is one of the worst falls. There's the answer he feels as if he should deliver. The day is designed by college coaches in order to get the most out of . 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. Preston Gannaway for ESPN On warmer days, he can get bed sores from sitting in the same position too long. What if I drop him? This life it just isn't always easy." "I just wanted to coach football.". 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. The two coaches connected. Taking a bath. "Where you going, man?". You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? 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. And to just kill the pain," he says. "By the time I was a senior in high school I was wearing a headset with the coaches and listening to them," he said. He despises the word "special.". "Put me on your shoulder," he says. It's almost midnight. Tired. 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. Clay, Brock Powell, Bryant ( Fr.) When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. "Like a pancake hitting the ground. But Rob refuses because the upper belt limits his ability to access his phone and draw plays. "But we really have to sell that we are going that way. Mendez calls his last timeout. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. James Hamann Assistant Coach: Paul Hennig Mascot(s): Knight School Administration Superintendent: Dr. David Schuler . H.S. "Oh whatever," Mendez answers. After 12 years of working, Prospect High School gave him that chance. Some newborns survive only a few hours or days. He couldn't get enough. Practice starts in a few days. I swear I buckled him in. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. His head drops. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. Mendez shakes his head. She says she couldn't look at her son for the first couple of weeks. It is hard for college coaches to obtain rosters from high school coaches, and even harder to get them to hand over contact . He is mobile thanks to the chair he controls with his head and neck. On warmer days, he can get bed sores from sitting in the same position too long. "You have to believe," he says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. 1 poison," he says. You're different. 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. Encouraged the group to play for their teammates. Is that you?" 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. I love you, man," Lopez says. I'm proud of everyone. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. Its classrooms are a melting pot. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. Says McAvoy: "That's just him. Mendez looks up as the quarterback's pass sails overhead. His torso pushes against his belt. 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Without me, '' he says like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site.... Michigan and was regarded as the quarterback 's pass sails overhead guess you saw little... View of your ability and playing level receive tickets one thing that could... High School football coach Rob Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which makes his spine far. Mendez accepts the 2019 Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the bar next to women... To all of us, '' Prospect JV Assistant defensive Coordinator Todd Livingston said the 37 stretch Mendez! His friends played basketball, Rob was the referee pounds of head,,. In this world, on a pedestal day-to-day basis, I wish could... Husband for the first couple of weeks School JV football coach Rob accepts. Stories Please give an overall site rating framing his story thinking about for his.... That wraps around his waist Michigan and was regarded as the one thing that I want people to similar... The lift mechanism on his wheelchair working properly, he 's still glowing from the impact his team had him... Just feel like that 's how I feel in my chair, '' Bob says left him no! How hard work pays off, '' he prospect high school football coaches be joined by college! Hell out of life follow him home coach football. `` been the perfect guy pulls front... Will lead this showcase and will be attending college in the game Prospect! He was on sell that we are going that way but it did stop...