Ladislao "Lalo" Roghi Mendoza

It was World War II, Fascist ruling Italy, when Henry Mendoza, a Mexican American soldier, fell in love with a beautiful Italian native, Giuseppina Roghi “Pina”.  While the whole world was at war, the two of them decided to get married and start a family. On September 2, 1945, Japan surrendered, and the war was over. Just 32 days later, Ladislao Francisco Angelo Roghi Mendoza was born on October 4th, 1945, in Marina di Grosseto, Italy. The union of Henry and Pina came during a time when the world was at war, but the birth of Lalo is a symbol of unity and the American Dream.

Before Lalo was born, his father Henry received orders to return to the United States without his new wife and son. At seventeen years old, Pina was tasked to board a ship with a six-month-old Lalo in her arms. On April 19th, 1946, she boarded a ship to New York and made it there a week later on April 29th. After her arrival to the East Coast, Pina and Lalo then had to board a train for another week to arrive at Union Station in Los Angeles, CA. They made it to Union Station around May 6, 1946. Lalo spent his childhood in Watts and Willowbrook, California, helping out around the family liquor store, Henry's Market. Lalo learned his first lessons about football from his father, a running guard and outstanding punter from L. A. Jordan High School. He then started his educational journey by attending elementary school at Saint Leo’s, Los Angeles, his teenage years at Saint Anthony High School, Long Beach then starting his higher education at Compton Community College, eventually earning his BA at Cal State Dominguez Hills, and then earning a master’s degree at Azusa Pacific University.

While earning his BA, Lalo started his coaching career as the 8th Grade CYO  Football Coach for Saint Leo’s Elementary School. He really loved to coach and wanted to do it for a living when a close family friend, Father Henry, SVD, suggested to Lalo to become a teacher. Fr. Henry to Lalo, as an educator, he would be able to coach and earn a salary. Lalo took his advice and never looked back.

When Henry was killed in 1974, Lalo was tasked to pick up his three youngest siblings from school and tell them that Daddy had died. This was devastating news for the whole Mendoza family, as Pina, Lalo, Bobby, Elio, Terri, Dee Dee, Cha Cha, and Kiki were all left without a father. Lalo, being the new man of the house, took on this role with pride. Lalo was always someone who unified the family. When he started coaching, he invited his three best friends, his brothers, to help him coach. Bobby and Elio were his assistant coaches, and Kiki was everything from ball boy, waterboy and Verb’s biggest fan. Lalo has been many things to many people throughout his life, teacher, coach, father figure, father, counselor, psychologist, and always our friend. However, being a part of a loving and supportive family will always be his favorite role, son, brother, and uncle. The Mendoza family will not be the same without the man who helped to keep this family together when they needed him the most. He never failed us.

Lalo started coaching CYO flag football at St. Leo’s when Fr. Henry asked him to help him coach the team. After two weeks Fr. Henry stopped coming to practice, that was the beginning of Lalo catching the coaching bug.Lalo started his teaching career at Verbum Dei High School, where he became a teacher and the Freshman Football Coach, eventually earning the title of Head Varsity Football Coach. He worked at Verbum Dei from 1966-1989 and returned in 1993-2001. In total, he earned five CIF Championship Titles with the Verbum Dei Eagles - Two from football, 1981 and 1982 (26-0; at the time the State of California Record) and three from his time as their Track and Field Coach 1993, 1997, and 1998. He continued his career as both a teacher, athletic director, PE department chair and football coach at Compton College from 1989-2017, holding the title of Head Football Coach for four years. Lalo also taught at Salesian High School from 2001-2005, where he ended his Head Coaching Varsity Career with the Mustangs. Coach Lalo returned to coaching football at Long Beach Cabrillo High School for three years from 2006-2008, helping his brother Elio build a power in the Moore League. Lalo was an assistant coach for only two people, his nephew Bobby and his youngest brother Kiki. Lalo finished his coaching career with 49 years, serving some of the finest men, their families, and the communities of the Greater Los Angeles area.

Lalo lived in Lakewood, California, never married, has no children, but leaves behind five siblings and fifteen nieces and nephews. He also has 12 great nieces and nephews that brought him tremendous joy. He also considered everyone he coached, everyone he coached with, all of his students, and their families as part of his family. If an athlete or a student needed something to eat, he would feed them. If someone needs a roof over their head, he will provide them a place to sleep. He has helped many people to get back on their feet with no judgment. The American Dream of Henry and Pina started with Lalo, and he is someone that brings people together, especially with a few laughs and a bite to eat. Even today, he is bringing all of us here together; people from various walks of life all come together to honor the life and memory of Ladislao Lalo Mendoza. Lalo has touched the hearts of many, both on and off the field. Lalo is always with us in our minds and our hearts, the memories are plentiful, the lessons are ingrained in our actions, his Faith in God is a reminder of how to live our lives.

In the battle that lies ahead…will be difficult without Coach Lalo.

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