Waukegan junior goalkeeper Julian Mendoza learned valuable lessons about his position from his older brothers, Alberto and Fernando.
But the most meaningful piece of advice was stressed early and often.
“‘Protecting the window’ was a backyard training exercise that me, Julian and Fernando used to do,” Alberto Mendoza said. “Fernando would set up two cones the same distance as an actual goal. Right behind the goal was the window to our downstairs living room.
“We would shoot power shots at Julian. He had to save every shot. If Julian didn’t save the shot, we would have a broken window.”
Julian Mendoza, who was 8 years old at the time, took that task to heart.
“My only job was to save shots so it wouldn’t hit the window,” he recalled. “Otherwise, they were going to blame it on me. I knew I had to save the ball.”
Julian Mendoza, who is in his second season protecting the net for the Bulldogs (0-0-2), said his older brothers helped shape his soccer career. Alberto Mendoza, a 2020 Waukegan graduate, played varsity soccer for two seasons and continued his career at Carthage College and Trinity International. Fernando Mendoza also played two varsity seasons and graduated from Waukegan in 2022.
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“I always wanted to be better than my brothers, but watching them all those years showed me what it takes to be a good soccer player,” Julian Mendoza said. “I didn’t want to be the younger brother stuck in the shadows of my brothers.
“I believe I watched every single game of Alberto’s and most of Fernando’s games except his senior year. I noticed in high school soccer that the mental part is big. You need to keep your mind in the game because your teammates feed off your reaction.”
Julian Mendoza is taking a sky-is-the-limit philosophy toward his final two years at Waukegan. He took big steps in his development last season by recording four shutouts and three victories that went to penalty kicks during the Bulldogs’ run to the Class 3A Buffalo Grove Sectional championship game. He stopped two shots in penalty kicks in a 3-2 win against Lake Zurich in the sectional semifinal and made seven saves during a 2-1 loss to Stevenson in the sectional final.
This summer, Julian Mendoza also benefited from playing on the Elite 05 team from the Greater Libertyville Soccer Association’s FC 1974 program. It won a second straight US Youth Soccer national title.
“I’m super motivated,” Julian Mendoza said. “My goal is to be an all-state keeper. I feel really better this year. I hold myself to a high standard. I learned a lot from last year’s playoff run, just how to handle pressure. That can be a struggle for a keeper, on how to handle the mental part.”
Waukegan coach Julio Farfan said Julian Mendoza, who recorded his first shutout of the season in a draw against Fenton on Aug. 22, is motivated to make his mark in the program.
“Waukegan has never had an all-state goalie in 58 years,” Farfan said. “Julian’s potential is Division I and being named all-state.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.