Reel
Ruby
The Last Dance
Countdown : Inspiration 4
Dream On
A Mountain to Climb
TrueSouth
Arthur
The DOC
The Move
Not Invisible
Who Says I Cant
Next Level
Dear Kobe
The Playoff
Silent Night Lights
Thom
McCallum
︎Director of Photography
Who Says I Can’t
2020
ESPN
Director of Photography
ESPN
Director of Photography
How could someone born without arms or legs, who's never held a football, teach high school players how to throw, tackle or block? Rob Mendez is doing it as head coach of a California JV team.
He knows what he has given his team. He can see how they've grown as players and people. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. But he wonders whether the players have any idea what they've given him.
"In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. They gave me a feeling of importance. And that's special because sometimes in this world, on a day-to-day basis, I wish I could do more. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything."
He knows what he has given his team. He can see how they've grown as players and people. He has heard it from their parents and teachers. But he wonders whether the players have any idea what they've given him.
"In life, I feel like I'm always being helped," he says. "They gave me the feeling of being the helper. They gave me a feeling of importance. And that's special because sometimes in this world, on a day-to-day basis, I wish I could do more. And those kids gave me the feeling that I can do anything."
02 // The Film
In the months that follow, Mendez unplugs from football. He reads, draws and spends extra time with family and friends. 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. "I don't think I could do that to those kids," he says. "We have unfinished business."
The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. It confirmed how much he despises losing. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. "I think it always will." It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. 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.
The time away from football has given Mendez a chance to reflect on his first season as a head coach. It confirmed how much he despises losing. "The Sobrato loss still bothers me," he says in February. "I think it always will." It showed him how much energy he draws from the kids. 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.
