He’s in demand as a motivational speaker.
Mendez has done dozens of radio and TV interviews. “I’ve learned a lot about football from him, but I certainly see what I’ve learned from him helping me in life.” “He wants us to work as a team, not as a bunch of individuals. “Coach Mendez wants us to be good to each other, help each other,” Chavez said. Like Mondragon, Chavez says Mendez stresses a team must be family. I’ve had a lot of coaches - good and bad. “But once I heard him speak, once I saw him coach, I knew we had a good one. “I’m not going to lie, when I first saw Coach Mendez, I said ‘Oh my!’” said freshman JV player Giovanny Chavez. Watch him interact with his players, and it’s obvious he has their respect. Watch Mendez on the sidelines, and he’s involved. The coronavirus-shortened season ends this week with a game at Montgomery. Mendez’s JV team is 1-1 after a 6-0 win Saturday against Bonita Vista. He has created a family atmosphere in a very short time.” He’s kind of hyper, but he’s a great motivator. “Coach Mendez shocked everyone with his knowledge of the game,” Mondragon said. Sophomore JV player Ignacio Mondragon agrees. You can’t look at Rob and feel sorry for yourself because you sprained a finger. He’s an inspiration with what he has overcome. “I liked the fact that with Rob there are no excuses. It was about the kids and how he could help. “The key for me was that the conversation wasn’t all about him. “We met and talked,” said Wagner, who played at Hilltop and spent nine years in the NFL as a punter with the Bears, Patriots, Packers, Browns and Chargers. He called Tyler Arciaga at Bonita Vista, but Arciaga had a full staff.Īrciaga told Mendez to try Hilltop, where Bryan Wagner was in his first year and was putting together a staff. “It’s easy to get from Point A to Point B in San Diego,” Mendez said.īut when he decided to make the move, Mendez had no idea where he’d land. He loves that he’s 20 minutes from the high school and 20 minutes from North County. Mendez lives downtown and loves the vibe, the shops and restaurants. “I was comfortable in Northern California, but things worked out here as far as housing, care and finances. “You can learn an awful lot by getting out of your comfort zone,” Mendez said. He worked as an assistant coach at Prospect High in the Northern California town of Saratoga, but fell in love with San Diego on a visit, and landed a job at Hilltop High where he is the head JV coach. His father and grandfather both played the game, and he’s extremely close to his family.įootball, a game he learned from playing “Madden” and being around the game as a child, is now his passion. “You do the best with the hand you’re dealt. “In life, you can roll sevens or you can have pocket aces,” Mendez said.