Football Coach Mark Speckman Inspires Saratoga's Sacred Heart School

Menlo College football coach Mark Speckman insipired Saratoga's Sacred Heart School students, faculty, staff and parents during Catholic Schools Week with a message of hope and discovery in what the world has to offer.

“You have to figure it out for yourself,” said Speckman the morning of Jan. 30 to the school community, captivating his audience with a fun and light-hearted story of his life.

Speckman was born without hands. Despite his disability, he played football at the college level, wearing "hooks" until he was 15 years old, when he removed them, thus ditching the nickname of "Captain Hook."

Speckman told the school it was thanks to the support of his family and teachers that he learned how to overcome his disability.

"We all have a never-ending well of potential," he said, while illustrating his point with a magical urn, which seemed to never quite empty fully, said Lupita Inzunza, a spokeswoman for Sacred Heart School.

His enthusiasm and positive view of life was contagious, Inzunza added.

"Mark delivered for students a message of trust and how to overcome any challenges, whatever they may be. It's with an understanding of our potential and resilience that we become successful in life. Mark Speckman embodied that message," she said.

Catholic Schools Week was celebrated in the Diocese of San Jose, of which Sacred Heart Parish is a member, Jan. 27-Feb. 2.