Raul Mendoza is an American basketball coach of high school students; he is known for specializing in work with Navajo student players. Since 2016, he has been the basketball coach at Chinle High School on the Navajo Nation in Arizona.
He previously coached at Window Rock High School and Holbrook High School, also in the Nation.[1][2] For his entire career as a coach, he has worked with Navajo student players.[3] His accomplishments include more than 800 victories. He has won two Coach of the Year awards.[4]
He is of Mexican and Tohono O’odham ancestry.[5]
Representation in other media
editThe 6-part docuseries Basketball or Nothing (2019) featured Mendoza (as himself) coaching the Chinle Wildcats in the 2017–2018 season. They were pursuing a state championship when their team was at top strength.[3]
References
edit- ^ Powell, Michael (November 19, 2019). "You better not lose: Navajo basketball is fast and unforgiving".
- ^ Journal, David Steinberg | For The. "Nothing but net: Account of a basketball season among the Navajos captures more than the game". www.abqjournal.com.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Q&A: How Navajo athletes made 'rez ball' their own". Los Angeles Times. November 28, 2019.
- ^ Powell, Michael (January 2, 2017). "In Navajo Nation, a Basketball Elder Earns Respect" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ "'Canyon Dreams' Is More than a Book about Basketball". Washington Post. 21 November 2019.