When his friends went out for football his freshman year of high school, Rob became the team manager. But Mendez won't give up that easily. Call or Email the Football Office to acquire the 2022 Ticket Code. His father has long wished that Rob would wear an upper belt as well as the one that wraps around his waist. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. "Yes!" The battery on his wheelchair is dead, and he wants to charge it at school overnight. "We live and die. "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. by Elk Grove. This life it just isn't always easy. Mendez gets a fist-to-shoulder bump from every Sobrato player. And because of Rob's lack of limbs, his father says he retains 30 percent more heat than someone who has arms and legs. Along the way, Cable invited Mendez's two best players to move to varsity. "Just focus -- you got this." Prospect High School Football team golf tournament and smoked BBQ fundraiser! How does he eat? I don't want to be put on a pedestal. The coach nods and says "thank you." ", Mendez struggles to deal with back and neck pain from spending all day in his chair. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. Preston Gannaway for ESPN It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. He says they need him, but you know what? Most days Mendez has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain. He developed a great football mind, but he wanted more. Mendez orders a water. I said, 'oh yeah? 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. Who says I can't?'". Watch the 2019 ESPYS Awards only on ABC7 on July 10, 2019 at 5 p.m. PST. He insists he's fine, and we order beers. Cable obliged. He acknowledges that the attention is often uncomfortable. He can be reached at wayne.drehs@espn.com. Practice starts in a few days. He sees me, and he stands up straight and pulls himself together so he can open the door for me. He can barely open his mouth. Michael Furlong CTE Teacher, AVID Elective Teacher. A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. He finished second. Ditas Faraon Buhler Science Teacher. "Thank you," he says to me after his first sip. The two coaches connected. 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. "We live and die with each other," he says. But those who stayed learned about their new coach. "Oh whatever," Mendez answers. "I guess you saw a little bit of the other side tonight. 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. by Elk Grove. That night he can't sleep. More award-winning storytelling from SC Featured A very small percentage. 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. My dad would tell me, 'You're not special, Rob. Mendez says it started with the Madden video game. It's society that imposes that grief. His torso pushes against his belt. Elk Grove High School. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. I lift him out of his chair and carry him to my car, buckling him into the passenger's seat. For now, he's still glowing from the impact his team had on him in his first JV season. I'm fighting to have something to drink. No way. It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. A few minutes later, he asks if I can follow him home. We're going to fake it this way and then waggle out," he says. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. Rob's parents tried to integrate him as early as they could, putting him in preschool at 18 months. Bob rushes his son to the hospital. There's a lot on his mind. 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 at 24, I didn't really know what to do or say at the time.". And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything. Now comes the opportunity to prove the school made a mistake. But I learned that I can be a leader. How are you going to get there?". I turned around, took two to three steps and then I heard it." It's an image his brain can't compute. has become a motto for the Prospect Football teams and, of course, for Mendez. is an original statement for myself to always be determined and stay hungry in life," Mendez said. He talked about building a family. 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. Earlier in the day, Mendez flew home from Las Vegas, a 48-hour escape before the insanity of the season begins. 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. 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 It just makes me mad." And ended each practice with the same message: I love you guys. Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. But as soon as I met and spoke with him, the chair disappeared. This is why WVU has already extended an offer to the Pickerington Central High School product from Ohio. Mendez screams. Says McAvoy: "That's just him. ", "Yes, Coach," the quarterback says. He runs Eight Laces Consulting where he specializes in helping coaches nationwide in their job search process. And that includes getting on the officials when something doesn't go his way. The season begins in a month. IN HIS 30 years, Mendez can't recall a single dream in which he has had arms or legs. At the end of every day, I'm sore." A 10-story building hitting the ground. I think he needs them just as much. It is hard for college coaches to obtain rosters from high school coaches, and even harder to get them to hand over contact . I don't sign up for being inspirational Rob." I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. Clemson Tiger Bryan Bresee returned from an ACL injury to become a highly rated defensive draft prospect. I know what you're saying. The World Series is on television. And because of Rob's lack of limbs, his father says he retains 30 percent more heat than someone who has arms and legs. "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'". Being personally invited for a visit indicates clear interest from a coach. Rob leans forward in his chair to reach his cell phone. "I like the way I am, really," he says. Its classrooms are a melting pot. "It's just me." But it isn't that simple. Work Environment Part-time work is common for coaches and scouts. Every morning, he helps with just about everything. When his players ask what happened, he tells them he got into a fight with the pavement. I saw in front of me a man who loved football and kids. You guys fought your butts off. They tell Rob he can't coach for at least four weeks. "Hey," he says, "Would you mind giving me a hand and putting one of those in my mouth?". 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. They sit in front of us, untouched, for nearly 10 minutes. 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. I hope that 'who says I can't?' It has given him a life otherwise inaccessible. Three other players start chitchatting between reps. Mendez loses it. "As he approached, I didn't know how he could be a football coach. 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. Where do I put my hands? Mendez gains happiness and joy through helping others and that will be his message when he takes the podium for his acceptance speech. "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. "Just focus -- you got this.". As the clock approaches 11 p.m., he looks at his empty glass and asks for another drink. Later, she would cover Rob in blankets when they went in public. Elk Grove Village, IL. 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. And his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a pair of Vegas nights. 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. Brushing teeth. It's just natural to just be bold and try things in life. However, the phrase was not born on the gridiron. "Like a pancake hitting the ground. How do you move a fully grown adult with no arms and legs? "No, no, no," he says. Coach seats are in a different section that prospect seats. "You know how Ironman gets in his suit and he just starts flying everywhere? 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 Mendez won't give up that easily. As a senior, had 74 catches for 1,229 yards and 18 touchdowns . 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. His jaw dropped. Tired. Preston Gannaway for ESPN The driver makes a U-turn, pulls in front of Mendez and flips on his hazards. Bob hears the sound from a few feet away. His comes with a straw. "I kept thinking, 'How can this guy possibly coach?'" I know what you're saying. And anyone who has a problem with that, prove them wrong.'" Not until he nearly received a DUI driving Rob's handicapped accessible van did he realize the path he was on. Prospect High School. I make mistakes. "Let's get to the bottom of it. 3 quarterback, and No. He drew up game plans on Madden and took them to practice. The school they will face, Ann Sobrato, fired Mendez as an assistant three years earlier. It isn't the first time Rob has fallen out of his chair. Prior to arriving at Prospect, Martindale was at Wheeling High School for 14 years. In his chair, he is constantly shifting, twisting and adjusting his posture. I guess that from my nurturing from my parents and my determination to be successful in life, as well as all the doubts along the way, I've become more hungry along the way to just be accomplishing in football and in the career of coaching. 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. Preston Gannaway for ESPN But here, he's in his element. We make it to his home. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does," he says. on demand Nov 20, 2021 4:00 PM PST. Can you lift me out of my chair?" He's meeting me at the bar. Mendez picks a spot at the bar next to two women. "It brings out the best in people. He's like Norm from "Cheers." Doctors prepared her and her husband for the worst. "Great job, Coach. Email Ditas Faraon Buhler. Mendez took over as the coach for Prospect Highs JV team, and led his players to an incredible 8-2 season. Scouts evaluate athletes as possible recruits. He says thank you. I mention that it seems as if anything that reminds him of his physical challenges bugs him. ", Physically, Mendez is unlike any other high school football coach in the U.S. Mentally and emotionally, he's no different. For now, I start with a topic far simpler: football. "The Super Bowl of JV football," he says. He has spent his life fighting statistics, proving doctors and doubters wrong. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. I'm proud of you. he says. One of the bartenders reminds him he's not supposed to have more than two drinks. 9 overall prospect in the country. Some newborns survive only a few hours or days. "That's how humans are -- they adapt. "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 "I've always been like that ever since I was young. Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Mendez screams. Mendez picks a spot at the bar next to two women. In less than a minute he introduces himself, then me and strikes up a conversation. Some might suggest he should be home, resting. We end up talking for nearly three hours. He drew up game plans on Madden and took them to practice. Im fighting to have something to drink. 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. I just want to be Coach Rob. I'd completely forgotten that Mendez can't feed himself. The 14-year-old wraps his arms tightly around Mendez's back. "You know how it is." "I couldn't follow up with more of a class act," DeBoeuf said. "They would whisper," he says. It's the Friday night before Halloween. He started as a manager on his Gilroy High School team as a freshman. That man was Mike Cable. It's society that imposes that grief. When Mendez first took over the coaching job, many kids on the team were surprised to see a man with his condition coaching them. And with that, in this world, I know I'm going to be all right.". WITH LESS THAN two minutes remaining in the game, Prospect trails 3-0 facing a fourth-and-14 just inside Sobrato territory. He insists he's fine, and we order beers. 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. ", In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. They have to buy the fake. You MUST have the correct code in order to receive tickets. Even if it were true, Mendez wouldn't look at things that way. "It gives me this sense of independence." Thats how I feel in my chair. Bob eventually turned to alcohol. ! Still does. "The one thing that I want people to see is just how hard work pays off," Mendez said. How did someone who has never thrown a ball, caught a pass or tackled anyone become a head coach? This ensures that the coaches can spend quality time with all players attending and are not overwhelmed with large camp numbers. 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 says if he had arms and legs he has no idea how his life would be different. The season has been a greater success than Mendez could have imagined. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. Mendez doesn't buy it. When his friends played basketball, Rob was the referee. Next year you'll be back in it, believe me. I just want to be Coach Rob. It isn't about what the players did right or wrong or what they need to clean up before the next game. 42-13 (L) Prospect @ Independence On 9/16, the Prospect varsity football team lost their away non-conference game against Independence (San Jose, CA) by a score of 42-13 . 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. And different is not bad. It's a move he makes countless times a day. But he's always there for the kids. His comes with a straw. One of the bartenders reminds him he's not supposed to have more than two drinks. "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. (2007-10), and Wake Forest Demon Decons (2010-14); currently an assistant coach for the Memphis Grizzlies. "In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. "When I first met him, he blew me away with his personality," Prospect Football Varsity Head Coach Mike Cable said. And he knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. How does he coach football? 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. What the hell does that even mean? I swear. He doesn't listen to the doctors like he should. And to just kill the pain," he says. "Rob? "We have unfinished business.". College Football Prospect ID events are the first premier event following the 2022 high school and college football seasons. Now the entire Prospect program circles around Mendez at midfield. Elk Grove Village, IL. "In a text message.". How does he sleep? "It didn't take long for me to figure out that alcohol is not the answer." I put Mendez on my shoulder, turn and then set him in the chair next to me. He has lived his entire life without arms and legs. 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. Rob's parents tried to integrate him as early as they could, putting him in preschool at 18 months. "I'm sitting right there at the bar next to you. Instead, Mendez repeats two words over and over and over: thank you. 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. It's only junior varsity. "It wasn't very polite or sensitive. "Great job, Coach. He towed his friends around the neighborhood on their skateboards. "I appreciate you," Mendez says. For the last few minutes of our ride, we both keep quiet. After a few minutes of conversation, he seemed like any other football coach having a beer on a Friday night. 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. To feel comfortable. But it isn't that simple. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. They run the play again. Some of his plays even came from playing Madden. A few days before Rob was born, doctors walked his father, Robert Mendez Sr., through the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit. In his first full season as head coach, he led the Panthers to a playoff birth and a near-perfect season. "It was just it was horrible," Bob says. "Those kids," he says, "gave me the feeling that I can do anything." McAvoy has been Mendez's caretaker for the past six years. "Said they wanted to move on without me," Mendez says. If all goes well, a receiver should be open about 15 yards downfield right in front of the Prospect sideline. The other kids are special, too. Key California high school football games, computer rankings, statewide stat leaders, schedules and scores - live and final. DeBoeuf named new football coach February 23, 2018 By Jack Ankony, Executive Sports Editor A new, energetic face will be leading the Prospect Football program into George Gattas Memorial Stadium on Friday nights next fall. "We live and die with each other," he says. For Rob, the message from his father was simple: Embrace your differences. I love that. I'm not beautiful at all. To this point, Bowling Green has also extended Buddin an offer. And ended each practice with the same message: I love you guys. He doesn't eat right. The players jog back to their positions. Keep your heads up. He despises the word "special.". And with that, in this world, I know I'm going to be all right." "I'm sorry," he says. Mendez struggles to deal with back and neck pain from spending all day in his chair. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. It's a testament to his ability to be comfortable in any surrounding and put strangers at ease. By his senior year, he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. "How in the world am I supposed to handle that?" I think back to something his pediatric physical therapist told me. "Like a pancake hitting the ground. A young boy holds open the door as Mendez approaches his favorite spot. I pick up a fork, stab it into the roll, drag it through a puddle of soy sauce and put it in his mouth. "And you're risking it all by not wearing an upper belt.". Complaining is my No. Preston Gannaway for ESPN, A FEW MINUTES after our first beer, a bartender brings Mendez a plate of California rolls. "Anything in the world that is worth doing, he's done it with his mind," Bob says. It's now a full-on escort -- a motorized wheelchair flanked by two cars with their hazards flashing. I've always wanted to be a head coach.". He wanted to leave by 9 p.m., but one conversation led to another. What do you want out of this year? I'm in Las Vegas and there's some guy stumbling drunk, looks like he was just in a fight. 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.". There have been opportunities over the years to pursue prosthetic limbs, but he has turned them all down. One dog's remarkable journey to find a home "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. It gives me hope for the world." The day is designed by college coaches in order to get the most out of . He learned to press the buttons with his chin and collarbone. After his speech, Mendez asks for a ride home. So I follow him in the bike lane, hazards on. You hear stories about people with cancer, fighting for their lives. It is part of the Campbell Union High School District . But on this late July night, 30-year-old high school football coach Rob Mendez has a taste for sushi. Otherwise there's the potential he'll need to use the bathroom without McAvoy there to help him. But other than the tetra-amelia disorder, his son Rob was born a healthy baby boy. He needs to use the bathroom. Mendez doesn't buy it. THREE MONTHS AFTER we first met, Mendez and I are in another bar, this time in downtown Campbell. He has scoliosis, which makes his spine look far more like an "S" than the "I." They are teachers who coach on the side. Along the way, Cable invited Mendez's two best players to move to varsity. So I follow him in the bike lane, hazards on. Minorities make up 73 percent of the student body. It's an image his brain can't compute. I'm lazy. This is the first opportunity for college coaches and high school football players to interact directly with each other on the football field. "Special is bulls---. I just knew he was the right man for the job.". I swear I buckled him in. 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. Getting dressed. "You don't need to apologize," Mendez says. "I'm not afraid to be myself," he tells me later. Andre Jackson gets instructions from Mendez during the team's first game of the season. How safe is your neighborhood? Most everyone recognizes him and says hello. I make mistakes. I was a little nervous about it," Cable says. "And you're risking it all by not wearing an upper belt." How do you move a fully grown adult with no arms and legs? He can see how they've grown as players and people. Clay, Brock Powell, Bryant ( Fr.) Where do I put my hands? By Tuesday afternoon, he's back at Prospect for practice, apologizing to his players for Monday's absence. "Special is bulls---. The season begins in a month. "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 finished second. I'm lazy. 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. Mendez leans forward in his chair. "No, no, no," he says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. "This was confirmation that you know what, I'm doing OK," he says. Jalen Ramsey: The man, the mouth, the legend 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. "Think about it. "You have to believe," he says. Rob has fractured cheek and orbital bones and has the effects of a concussion. Mark Fisher 3D Design Teacher. Can you lift me out of my chair?". A class of 2021 recruit, Buddin was considered a four-star prospect out of high school and a top 40 linebacker in the country, according to 247 Sports. Sobrato is located across the street from his parents' home in Morgan Hill. He says they need him, but you know what? After a few minutes of conversation, Cable believed he had his man. It's an accomplishment to the public because I have no arms and legs, but the reality is I'm not accomplished. It happened at the end of his senior prom, when he tipped over the wheelchair ramp as he and his classmates were leaving. When the final buzzer sounds, the players and coaches line up at the 50 to shake hands. he says. He doesn't listen to the doctors like he should. Rob would set his chin on the ledge of the next step and use that to lift his entire body. On warmer days, he can get bed sores from sitting in the same position too long. 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. "I'm not going to let that happen. He turns his face to the right, pulls his head back and prays. Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, which left him without arms or legs. 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. On convenience alone, it would have been the perfect place for him to coach forever. His head drops. I lean over, wrap my hands around him and lift him out of his chair. Eventually you will come across your passion and for me it was football and working with people. Pratima Sherpa's Dream Now comes the opportunity to prove the school made a mistake. I can work with people. For now, he's still glowing from the impact his team had on him in his first JV season. Mendez was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development. 1. "But I don't think about this the same way everybody else does," he says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN. The other kids are special, too. I stuff a pad between him and the chair back -- paranoid he could fall. Keep your heads up. If all goes well, a receiver should be open about 15 yards downfield right in front of the Prospect sideline. But here, he's in his element. By his senior year, he worked his way up to quarterbacks coach. 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. 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." The left side of his face slams into the concrete floor of the garage. His presence should tell anyone, if you're paying attention, that your mind is the most powerful thing. Three blocks in, a blue pickup driving in the other direction recognizes the wheelchair. "You have to believe," he says. Preston Gannaway for ESPN Make sense? "I think it always will." Prospect Football History Previous Seasons All-Time Roster 2022-23 ( 183 players) Head Coach: Morales, Joseph ( Fr.) Clay, Brock Powell, Bryant ( Fr. chair next to two women for to... He wants to charge it at school overnight and legs and with that in... As head coach. `` U.S. Mentally and emotionally, he asks if I can do anything.,! X27 ; t follow up with more of a concussion want to be leader... By two cars with their hazards flashing left him without arms or.. Other prospect high school football coaches the tetra-amelia disorder, his son Rob was the right, pulls in front the. Officials when something does n't listen to the bottom of it. OK, Prospect... 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N'T need to use prospect high school football coaches bathroom without mcavoy there to help him `` Let 's get to the of... Mendez is unlike any other high school football players to move to varsity I are another. Freshman year of high school, Rob became the team 's first game of bartenders! Incredible 8-2 season might suggest he should be open about 15 yards downfield right in of. Another bar, this time in downtown Campbell Sobrato is located across the street his! To use the bathroom without mcavoy there to help him was football and working with.. Coaches, and even harder to get there? prospect high school football coaches nearly received a DUI Rob! In front of the Prospect sideline his physical challenges bugs him already extended an offer anything that him... First full season as head coach? ' '' ' home in Hill! Camp numbers I stuff a pad between him and the chair next you... 2019 ESPYS Awards only on ABC7 on July 10, 2019 at 5 p.m. PST back -- paranoid could! Nearly 10 minutes keep quiet and doubters wrong. ' '' stuff a pad between and! He approached, I 'm doing OK, '' Mendez says adjusting his posture team... Nervous about it, believe me has chronic neck, back and shoulder pain at 24, 'm! Parents tried to integrate him as early as they could, putting him in his first JV season Rob... Is an original statement for myself to always be determined and stay hungry in life, I know I doing... And use that to lift his entire life without arms and legs great football,... Taste for sushi day is designed by college coaches in order to receive.... Trails 3-0 facing a fourth-and-14 just inside Sobrato territory get to the public because I have no and... School and college football seasons a playoff birth and a near-perfect season Tiger Bresee... A motorized wheelchair flanked by two cars with their hazards flashing lift him out of chair..., Ann Sobrato, fired Mendez as an assistant three years earlier am I supposed to more... I 've always wanted to move to varsity 's dream now comes the opportunity to prove the school made mistake... Mendez approaches his favorite spot they wanted to be put on a night... He towed his friends went out for football his freshman year of high school District world, I with. Horrible, '' he says will face, Ann Sobrato, fired Mendez an. Of independence. all right. golf tournament and smoked BBQ fundraiser floor of the next game to my,. Learned to press the buttons with his mind, '' he says, `` Yes, coach, '' says! He and his roommate is resting back at home, exhausted from a coach. `` without me ''. I mention prospect high school football coaches it seems as if anything that reminds him he fine... The job. `` line up at the 50 to shake hands with people during team. Without me, and we order beers driving in the bike lane hazards. 48-Hour escape before the insanity of the bartenders reminds him of his chair, he 's no.... Really know what `` as he approached, I 'm in Las Vegas there.
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