PARKER ASSISTANT WRITES LIFE STORY
Rob Mendez has lived a life few can imagine.
Born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare congenital disorder that prevents the formation of limbs during embryonic development, the 35-year-old Mendez has no arms or legs.
Fewer than a dozen people in the world are known to have this condition.
That, however, hasn’t stopped Mendez.
With the help of a loving family, friends, caregivers and a battery-powered wheelchair he maneuvers with his nose, forehead and tongue, he has carved out a fairly normal life.
That life centers around one of his great loves … football.
Mendez, the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPY Awards, has been featured on several TV talks shows, most recently “The Rachel Ray Show” where his foundation was awarded a $10,000 grant from Riddell.
He was the subject of an ESPN documentary and now has crammed his life story into a 227-page book — “Who Says I Can’t: The Astonishing Story of a Fearless Life” — in collaboration with Joe Layden.
Mendez will have a book signing from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Little Italy Mercato Farmers’ Market, 600 W. Date St.
“I wanted to write the book and get it out a year ago,” said Mendez, who moved to San Diego last year after coaching football for a dozen years in the Bay Area.
“But my publisher didn’t think the timing was right. They didn’t want COVID to distract from my story, which is to dwell on the positives, things you can do, rather than what you don’t have.
“They said to give it time and release it in conjunction with this football season.”
With things somewhat back to normal, the timing was right.
Mendez’s dream is to be a head football coach at the high school level.
Last season, he worked as head JV coach at Hilltop High, working with former NFL kicker Bryan Wagner. But the coronavirus pandemic limited the Lancers to three games.
When former Chargers linebacker Stephen Cooper was named head coach at
Francis Parker, he quickly named Mendez offensive coordinator and Dan Egan, a man with 38 years of experience, defensive coordinator.
“Rob is very passionate, very astute,” Cooper said. “Plus, he’s willing to learn and adapt. We’re a new coaching staff, so we’re all learning together, learning each other.
“But it has been fun.” The Lancers are 2-2 this season, and Mendez said he has learned a ton.
“Oh, my gosh, the varsity level is so much different than coaching the JVs,” Mendez said before a practice last week on Parker’s field, which it shares in the fall with lacrosse, soccer, cross country, dance and cheer.
“First off, you have a lot more players on the varsity as opposed to the JV. The other teams are much better prepared, so preparation is everything.
“The defenses we face are on top of their game.”
Parker has morphed from a run-oriented double wing into a spread offense this season. There are Pistol formations with the quarterback in runpass option situations.
“Varsity football is a chess match,” Mendez said. “How well do I adapt to what the defense has adapted? I’m learning to scheme, and it’s a blast.
“I want to be a head varsity coach someday. The experience I’m getting here, working with people like Stephen Cooper and Dan Egan, is invaluable.
“Who knows where it takes me?”
In his book, Mendez has neatly chronicled his life’s experiences.
“Writing this was easier and quicker than I thought.” Mendez said. “We knocked it out in about four months.
“Normally, the writer and subject sit down for a week, 10 days, a month, throw out ideas, tape every conversation. We did everything over the phone or on Zoom calls.
“And I’m really happy with the way it came out.”
Mendez lives in Little Italy and hopes to be able to remain here and fulfill his dream.
“I grew up in Northern California, and it’s home, it’s where my family lives,” he said. “San Diego, though, is a slice of paradise. I’d love to stay here and coach for a long time.”