Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Mendoza.
Luis, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m from Mexico, originally from Santa Ana Tlapacoyan Oaxaca. I’m legally here as a DACA student. I grew up in a rough neighborhood in San Diego during 2000-2003. My mother and I would struggle daily to move forward in life, we didn’t have transportation so we would take the bus or sprinter. Often walking to our destination, I was young and never gave her trouble. We would sleep on the floor for a period of time because of a lack of money to buy furniture for the room we rented. We came from Mexico with nothing, these are the memories that fuel my passion, that push me when I’m tired. When I have nothing left, when theres no more gas in the tank I find another gear. Often outworking the man next to me, I’m always preparing myself for whats next. The struggles at an early age is what has made me the person I am today, motivating hundreds of kids and adults daily. I’m humble, I’m honest and I want more for others than myself.
My mother was single, I don’t have any memory of my father. He’s a business owner in Mexico City. In 2002 my sister was born and gave us hope to move forward. We then moved to San Marcos, where we have more family, I started growing up and getting involved in sports. I was gifted in soccer, I was very quick and fast. I didn’t play club soccer or organized soccer till I was a teenager. Spendings hundreds of hours playing futsal outside it molded me differently. I learned all my cuts, and creativity in the streets. The city of San Marcos has two rival gangs, everyone in my neighborhood was involved. Fights and shootings were common. Robberies and tagging was normal. I never took that path, I couldn’t see my mother in pain dealing with a rebellious son. Instead, I played soccer from sun up to sun down and would stay away from trouble. During middle school, the neighborhood calmed down, the city tore down old apartments causing many people to move out. I got involved in the boys and girls club of San Marcos everyday after school I would walk there. The staff cared about us, the environment was safe and there was always something to do. I wasn’t the best in school but I got my work done to not let my mother down. High school came around and I took the bus to school, I got involved in track and field and soccer. I dealt with many setbacks in high school, from injuries to bad grades to having to work after school. I worked four times a week to pay for my soccer funds, I played for an Academy team called Surf San Diego. I wasn’t the tallest or the most gifted in high school, but I was a natural-born leader. If they could measure heart they would know mine was the biggest. My senior year I was the top goal scorer and in charge of training the soccer P.E class. The varsity coach left me in charge, I lived by the phrase “No days off.” Our season was bad, however next years they won the state championship.
Go Grizzlies!
I was always in the gym, working out, running, playing soccer. I always wanted to do what others are not doing. I never wanted to fit in, people often saw me as obsessed but in reality, I was just driven and focused. I went to a community college and walked on to a high-level college soccer team. I studied Kinesiology and nutrition for three years. I worked graveyard shifts some days to pay for my food and gas. I did not get FASFA. My passion was being a soccer trainer on the side, I struggled to have money for food and gas. Being a student-athlete caused me to have very little time to work and make money, I was either training, in class or doing homework. I remember one time I drank milk from the cafeteria because I didn’t have money for food. That day we had one of the toughest conditioning sessions, I beat everyone. I knew I was different, I knew I had something inside that others didn’t. Driven and relentless the preparation I did on my own backed me up, the late nights at the beach running and early mornings training paid off. It didn’t matter I had no food in my stomach, my mind was prepared.
After college was over, I decided to become a trainer full time, being certified as a NASM trainer, I used what I learned—training little kids, to teenagers to adults. My name became well known in my area. I began training professional athletes that played for the Mexican national team. Time passed by and I bought a truck to store my equipment. Currently, I coach at two different high schools coach. Semi-professional women’s team and I play for a UPSL team called White Tigers FC.
During the day, I train professional athletes, adults and kids. Impacting each and every one of them fuels me to get up tomorrow and do it again. My goal is to open a training facility, train the less privileged kids and find hidden gems that have the talent to go somewhere but not the guidance. I will not stop impacting lives, if I don’t do it who will. Despite my truck being broken into twice, stealing equipment and damaging it. I still find the motivation to keep changing my community one person at a time. They don’t know that the most expensive piece of equipment is my mind, my thought process of creating drills to change a athletes game.
I am a Dreamer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My road has been nothing but road bumps and dead ends, growing up in a rough neighborhood I was picked up for not joining a gang or not doing drugs. I felt alone, at one point, I was convinced being a bad person was the way to go. My mother’s purse was snatched from her arms at a early age in San Diego, I pulled the purse as hard as a I could, I remember seeing my mother in pain. Remembering that memory everyday it pushes me to do more, be more and give more.
For half of my life, my mother was single and she would work lots of hours to make sure my sister and I were safe and had everything we need. The road hasn’t been easy but I continue to look ahead and motivate my athletes. Life’s obstacles may slow me down but not stop me.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m a trainer, I’ve been training kids and adults since I was 17 years old. I train them at the park, under the lights or in the dark. Taking mental notes from coaches and advice from mentors, I learned to train everyone differently. It’s not easy, kids need more attention and not everyone learns the same. I’m known for making others better, being tough and strict. My Philosophy of training is the harder you work, the harder it is to surrender. I’m proud of myself for not giving up, for sticking with it. I’m different from others because I’m willing to do what others won’t, to have what others can’t. I train some less fortunate kids for free, I give them the same energy as any other athlete, Professional or not. These kids sometimes don’t have shoes, a ball. I either buy them shoes or give them a ball. I show up on holidays and birthdays to train kids, I don’t make excuses, I run with the athletes to push them. I set the bar high and let them know I put in work myself. I don’t make stuff up, The average person won’t do anything for free, the best reward I get is seeing kids face smile and succeed. Having a professional athlete win the biggest tournament in Mexico 2019′ with Soccer Club Monterey and knowing you helped her with her training. I’m on my own level, I don’t compete with anyone and I’m not worried about what other trainers are doingl.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
The person who deserves the most credit is my mother for never giving up on me and always telling me I’m going to be someone special in this world. Mentors I’ve had along the way are Coach D, who is always checking up on me, guiding me and helping me through anything I deal with.
One regret I have in life is not having the privilege to have him coach me in sports. He’s a great man and also an author.
Ben Hernandez has also impacted me growing up, opening doors for me and always keeping me in the picture whenever something comes up. A professional soccer player for Xolas Jazmin Aguas has always told me I’m the best at what I do. Jazmin is always helping me be a better trainer and opening doors for me.
She recently started a new Semi professional team North country FC. Find them on instagram. Coach English from Mission Hills High School who never gave up on me and gave me the opportunity to help him coach the boy’s program at the high school. I also want to give a lot of credit to the Western conference UPSL champions 2019′ White Tigers Fc for opening the doors to me and giving me the chance to train the guys and help them be stronger and faster during the 2019 season. They trusted my training and didn’t question me.
Contact Info:
- Phone: (760)613-7344
- Instagram: @Trainer_Mendoza
- CLUBS I TRAIN AND HELP: @whitetigerswfc @Whitetigersfc @aztecasBasketball @NORTH.COUNTYFC
CONTACT ME FOR SOCCER TRAINING, FITNESS TRAINING AND LET ME HELP YOU BECOME THE PERSON YOU KNOW YOU CAN BE.
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