Al Mendiola’s coaching and character define his greatness at the College of Idaho
CALDWELL, Idaho (BVM) – In 16 seasons as head coach of College of Idaho softball, Head Coach Al Mendiola hasn’t just created a successful athletic program. He’s also created a culture of professionalism and family.
“I’ve had the opportunity to coach great people,” Mendiola said. “Players who are great academic kids as well as great softball players. We’ve been successful because I try to develop relationships with all my players. That way, when players are graduated and done, they can come back and talk to present players and say, ‘this is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had.’”
Mendiola’s close-knit coaching style brings together a Yotes team that consistently wins year after year. In his tenure as head coach, the Yotes have made it to eight Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Tournaments, five NAIA National Tournaments and three NAIA World Series appearances.
But Mendiola’s success didn’t sprout on its own. A San Diego, Calif. native, the former baseball center fielder played at the nearby San Diego Mesa Community College. After two successful seasons, Mendiola transferred to the College of Idaho in 1992 to round out his playing career. Once he made it to Caldwell, he would begin his legacy.
An NAIA All-American selection his senior year, Mendiola played under Hall of Fame Head Coach Tim Mooney. A breakout star for the Yotes, Mendiola unleashed his incredible baseball talent with the help of a disciplined and direct head coach.
“Mooney was a great X’s and O’s guy,” Mendiola said. “When we worked on a specific thing, we didn’t just do it to get it over with. We did it to make sure we wouldn’t mess it up in a game. He took practice and made sure it was perfected before we were done with it.”
But Mooney wasn’t the only coach Mendiola got inspired from. Assistant Coach Shawn Humberger, who head coaches the Yotes baseball team today, provided his own set of coaching knowledge to his players.
“[Humberger’s] knowledge of the small things, that were huge in individual skill sets and as a team, is where I learned and felt confident teaching the hitting, bunting and game itself,” Mendiola said.
After graduation in 1994, Mendiola would stay within the baseball program and become an assistant coach. Here, he was able to learn more about the game and coaching through his former coaches.
“Being able to coach with [Humberger and Mooney] after I played made me a more confident individual to be able to coach,” Mendiola said.
After seven seasons coaching Yotes baseball, Mendiola became the head coach of the Yotes softball team in 2005. Being in the assistant coach role for so long meant Mendiola was ready to lead his own team.
Between his playing and coaching careers, Mendiola’s incredible knowledge would directly transfer to the softball field. And he didn’t join the softball program to just compete. He came to make winning the standard.
“When it comes to game time or we’re in a ‘get down to business’ type of practice, Al is one of the more serious coaches I’ve had,” senior infielder Trystin Crofts said. “He knows what we’re capable of and expects us to play to our fullest potential. It stems from his desire to be great, and that is contagious to the players. He hates to lose and so do we.”
When Mendiola joined the softball program, he brought out the best of his players. On top of his successful seasons and tournament berths, Mendiola has coached 24 All-CCC selections, 5 NAIA All-Americans, 51 CCC All-Academic picks and 18 NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
The winningest coach in C of I softball history, Mendiola’s coaching has proven to help players excel at the highest level. On the field, he’s the mastermind behind the nationally ranked Yotes. Off the field, he keeps his office door open whenever anyone wants to stop by.
“He will always be there for you,” Crofts said. “Before [COVID-19], he used to hold team dinners at his house every year so we could bond and play games. We haven’t done that this year but he did invite us over for Easter since we couldn’t be with our families. He still wants us to have fun, but be safe while we’re doing that.”
Mendiola treats his players like family, but he gets to be on campus with his family as well. Mendiola’s wife, Liz, is the head coach of the Yotes volleyball team. While she’s coaching at the J.A. Albertson’s Activity Center, Al gets the privilege to coach his daughter Aleah at Symms Field.
“When she told me her senior year of high school that she decided to play softball for C of I, it was one of the greatest news I’ve ever had,” Al said. “Her trust with me and her trust with the team is so strong. She’s understood expectations, she’s worked hard and has a great work ethic. It’s been great to coach her.”
The senior outfielder and her dad headline a historic 2021 softball season. Despite an early four-game losing streak, the Yotes would go on to win 26 out of 28 games. In this impressive stretch, the College of Idaho maintained a perfect 18-0 conference record as of April 11.
“Al has really been preaching to play softball the “Yotie Way” which is when we are relaxed and having fun playing softball, because he noticed that we play at a higher intensity when we are playing that way,” junior infielder Haley Loffer said. “It has also helped having a talented team that Al is confident in, and you can just tell that all the girls love being out on the field every day and having fun, which makes Al excited for practices and enjoying them as well.”
Loffer, earning CCC and NAIA Player of the Week honors on March 23, is one of many offensive stars on a deep roster. On April 9 against Corban University, Al’s team would break the school softball record for most runs in a season (302). It’s a new record that highlights the dominance of this season’s team, but Al knew these kinds of fireworks were in the making.
“This year has been so successful because of commitment and chemistry,” Al said. “I truly believe that chemistry is one of the most important things in keeping a team together. This group is a unique group and they all care about each other. We’ve done the necessary things to keep our team strong and competitive.”
Al Mendiola’s incredible coaching has helped the Yotes softball program reach unbelievable heights, but his legacy at the College of Idaho goes much further. His days in baseball, his love for his players and his desire to win are what make Al Mendiola the incredible person he is.
“We have an agreement and a culture,” Al said. “If you just compete to the best of your ability, have the highest energy you can bring and have the best attitude, winning and losing doesn’t matter. But I’ll tell you this, we’ll win more than we’ll lose.”
