10.17.24
YTA Coach Carl Mendoza Inducted to the USTA NorCal Hall of Fame
Carl Mendoza had always excelled athletically, but it wasnʼt until he was in his early twenties that he picked up a tennis racquet for the first time. Carl grew up in Salinas, California, where he was a high school football star. At 23 years old he was introduced to tennis by his then-wife, and his then-brother-in-law showed him the ropes on the court. It was love at first volley for Carl, and he never looked back.
Carl had been prepared to continue his academic career in law school, but he soon found that heʼd rather be on the tennis court than in the classroom. His tennis hobby turned into a profession when he began working with NorCal's inner-city programs in Oakland.
Together with Warren Brown, the then president of USTA NorCal, Carl helped develop the Warren Brown Tennis Program to support youth tennis. From there, Carl also contributed to the Oakland Mayorʼs Program and the National Junior Tennis and Learning NJTL of San Francisco.
While Carl enjoyed playing in USTA tournaments, especially doubles, his true calling was coaching. At 40, he became a certified tennis instructor and has since been devoted to coaching through his NJTL program and Youth Tennis Advantageʼs inner-city tennis program. His proudest achievement is the NJTL camp he founded for underserved junior players to allow them to learn and experience the joys of tennis. The program has stood the test of time and has been active for over 30 years, introducing generations of children to the sport.
Throughout his extensive career, Carl has received numerous accolades, including the USPTA Top 10 Point Holder for Career Development Program, PTR Volunteer of the Year and PTR California Pro of the Year. His dedication earned him the USTA NorCal Outstanding Community Tennis Volunteer Award and the USTA NorCal Diversity & Inclusion Mark Manning Icon Award for outstanding leadership for advocating, representing and contributing to diversity and inclusion issues and strategies. It was an accomplishment that meant a lot to Carl, as Mark Manning had been a dear friend, whose work in the inner-city tennis community was something he had deeply admired.
Beyond the achievements, Carl's passion for tennis extends beyond simply coaching. He always actively worked to understand the "nuts and bolts" of tennis, attending industry seminars and conferences to continuously improve his teaching methods.
His unwavering commitment to the tennis community has been evident through his service on various USTA National committees, including the Community Tennis Association, NJTL and Sportsmanship committees. Locally, Carl has held leadership positions on the USPTA Board, where he served as president, and contributed to USTA NorCal as a Board of Directors member for five years. He has also volunteered on numerous USTA NorCal committees as a member or chair including the Budget, Diversity & Inclusion, Adaptive, Community Tennis and Grants committees
And through it all, the same excitement that ignited Carl's passion for tennis in his early twenties still drives him today as a coach. He takes great joy in watching his players succeed both on and off the court, continuing to inspire and nurture the next generation of tennis enthusiasts.
Congratulations Carl on your well-deserved induction to the USTA NorCal Hall of Fame!