prospect high school football coaches

He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." "I got it. "Thank you," he says to me after his first sip. You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? Helped North Kansas City to a . Getting dressed. He can be stubborn. For Rob, the message from his father was simple: Embrace your differences. He's meeting me at the bar. And because of Rob's lack of limbs, his father says he retains 30 percent more heat than someone who has arms and legs. This ensures that the coaches can spend quality time with all players attending and are not overwhelmed with large camp numbers. It's a move he makes countless times a day. Taking a bath. We offer the best pricing for sports recruiting videos on the internet and our turnaround time is usually 48 hours or less! And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything. 2. Tired. Mendez has made stops at many different schools across the Bay Area, including Sobrato High School in Morgan Hill, Calif. where he met Coach Tim Alvernaz. Where do I put my hands? But it isn't that simple. Things like that happen all the time. I haven't graduated college yet. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. The season begins in a month. 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. He absorbed everything he could. ( Google map, other maps) Mt. Eating breakfast. The players jog back to their positions. I panic. But after losing the season opener to Santa Clara, his Panthers won seven games in a row. He reads, draws and spends extra time with family and friends. I just want to be Coach Rob. 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. They chose to stay with him. I'd completely forgotten that Mendez can't feed himself. But he wonders whether the players have any idea what they've given him. It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. The next day he spends almost entirely in bed, unable to open his eyes. Some might suggest he should be home, resting. I think he needs them just as much. Rob's father saw potential in the happy, spunky baby, but also wrestled with his own emotions, admitting he often asked God "why?" The Transfer Portal Changes How College Coaches Recruit High School Football Players - Inside the Knights The Transfer Portal, How it Changes High School Football Recruiting High. Mendez tries to explain, but the kid doesn't get it. I tell him that's the most honest he's been in our time together. We make it to his home. And he doesn't like the idea I have for framing his story. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. Blood runs everywhere. I know I'm good for the kids. ONE WEEK LATER, Prospect finishes its season 8-2 with a 19-13 victory over Yerba Buena. So I try not to complain. It's an image his brain can't compute. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. "I'm not the perfect guy. More award-winning storytelling from SC Featured How does he sleep? ESPN senior writer Wayne Drehs contributed to the documentary as a writer and reporter. "I just think that me showing people that I can accomplish my goals, which actually still is not really completely fulfilled yet. I don't focus on it." Livingston told me Mendez's presence is living proof of what humans are capable of. "No, no, no," he says. His comes with a straw. Still does. Preston Gannaway for ESPN I suggest we move to a lower table and make things easier. On convenience alone, it would have been the perfect place for him to coach forever. I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. 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. THREE MONTHS AFTER we first met, Mendez and I are in another bar, this time in downtown Campbell. The throw is too long, and the ball harmlessly caroms out of bounds. Afterward, Bob says doctors and nurses would walk by and stare. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. One way he was able to do this is through coaching football. I've been a 2 year starter on the varsity football team. Key California high school football games, computer rankings, statewide stat leaders, schedules and scores - live and final. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. 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. The left side of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage. 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. "It sounds so ridiculous, but it's true," he says. "This was confirmation that you know what, I'm doing OK," he says. The junior quarterback was 24-for-42 . He says thank you. (2007-10), and Wake Forest Demon Decons (2010-14); currently an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. Three blocks in, a blue pickup driving in the other direction recognizes the wheelchair. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. He's like Norm from "Cheers." The green mile marker signs fly past on Highway 101. 31 years later, he's. I make mistakes. Mendez doesn't buy it. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything." 2. With the pen, Mendez draws the X's and O's of what the play is supposed to look like and why. Pick a play, execute for a few seconds, take a break, pick another play and repeat. "It's just me." One player quit because of Mendez. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. As the quarterback rolls out, the play unfolds perfectly. Prospect High School. At that point, she says, abortion wasn't an option. That sentiment has been followed by so many other coaches that he came across in his career. And that's special because sometimes in this world, on a day-to-day basis, I wish I could do more. "I think it always will." 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 immediately snaps. Eighteen players from each playoff class were named to the team. IN HIS 30 years, Mendez can't recall a single dream in which he has had arms or legs. And with that, in this world, I know I'm going to be all right." Those who do survive often end up with significant intellectual disabilities. Later, she would cover Rob in blankets when they went in public. A handful of schools reach out about head-coaching jobs, but he says he's almost certain he will return to Prospect to lead its JV squad again next season. He demanded respect, eye contact and accountability. Mendez screams. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. I lean over, wrap my hands around him and lift him out of his chair. And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. I don't want to be put on a pedestal. "About damn time," McAvoy says with a grin. He's a great guy and I'll go to the end of the earth for him.". More award-winning storytelling from SC Featured, One dog's remarkable journey to find a home, "Screw that," he says. It's society that imposes that grief. THE COLLEGE COACHES AT THE COLLEGE COACHES SHOWCASE CAMP ARE ON THE FIELD ALL DAY He draws and writes with his mouth. This is roughly the same player-to-coach ratio on a college football roster. And buckling Rob into his chair. "It sounds so ridiculous, but it's true," he says. And 26 percent of the school's students are economically disadvantaged. I'm lazy. Unofficial or official visit invites. I just want to prove them wrong." It's a testament to his ability to be comfortable in any surrounding and put strangers at ease. But seven? "Think about it. Preston Gannaway for ESPN "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. This time it's flawless. Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. 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. Coaches from Southwestern University and Nicholls State University will lead this showcase and will be joined by other college coaches from various programs. But it isn't that simple. The next generation of basketball legends will rock uniforms by New York City-based streetwear designer Eric Emanuel. I think back to something his pediatric physical therapist told me. Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. Says McAvoy: "That's just him. His team is a mix of freshmen and sophomores, some with a bit of experience, most with little to none. 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 Email Michael Furlong. And to just kill the pain," he says. His head drops. I can work with people. It's an accomplishment to the public because I have no arms and legs, but the reality is I'm not accomplished. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . "I couldn't follow up with more of a class act," DeBoeuf said. "He was still in diapers," Bob says. Earlier in the day, Mendez flew home from Las Vegas, a 48-hour escape before the insanity of the season begins. That's how I feel in my chair," he says. I'm proud of you. Mendez acknowledges that his presence has had a positive impact on people. The search for Aaron Rodgers, IT'S THE BIGGEST weekend of the year in Gilroy, California, with more than 100,000 people visiting for the annual garlic festival. Bob eventually turned to alcohol. The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. Rob's parents tried to integrate him as early as they could, putting him in preschool at 18 months. Tired. I love the feeling when I lift kids up. Three other players start chitchatting between reps. Mendez loses it. Things like that happen all the time. For now, he's still glowing from the impact his team had on him in his first JV season. All Rights Reserved. Watch Later. In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. Earlier in the day, Mendez flew home from Las Vegas, a 48-hour escape before the insanity of the season begins. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. Mendez took over as the coach for Prospect Highs JV team, and led his players to an incredible 8-2 season. But here, he's in his element. "We have unfinished business." Thats how I feel in my chair. I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. ESPN producer Kristen Lappas directed the SC Featured documentary, available on ESPN+. His parents connected him with Vujicic, who Mendez said told him he could make $25,000 per night as a motivational speaker. 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. He couldn't get enough. How does he eat? And there's the reality of what he feels, but rarely reveals. It feels as if everyone is staring. Initially, Josie struggled. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. I swear I buckled him in. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. 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. I turned around, took two to three steps and then I heard it." At the end of every day, I'm sore.". He asks his quarterback for a hug. He can see how they've grown as players and people. 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