July 18, 2025 – An Ojai rowing team coached by CSUCI Art History student, Raleigh Mendez, took home a national award in a sport generally associated with the Ivy League schools.
“What’s super unique about rowing in California is it’s an old money, East Coast sport,” said Casitas Rowing Coach Raleigh Mendez. “If you participate in rowing on the East Coast, these private clubs can cost $2,000 a month. What’s cool about our club is we make it accessible to anyone of any age. Our costs are significantly lower and anybody who wants to row can row.”
Mendez coached high school rowers Nick McSorley and Jace Evans of Ojai to a third-place
national win in the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships held in June in Sarasota,
Florida. Competitions range from single rowers to eight-person boats. The Casitas
Rowing team won the national award in the boys’ double competition.
“You know the race day itself was super nerve-wracking, but I knew the work they put in to get there and I knew they could pull it off,” Mendez said.
Mendez, who hails from Ventura, became interested in rowing through his brother and sister, who were both rowers. He had a good experience with his coaches at Oaks Christian School and decided to try coaching himself. After almost three summers of coaching rowing at Lake Casitas, Mendez has found his coaching rhythm. He says the flexibility CSUCI enables him to fully embrace his art classes while providing enough time for him to immerse himself in coaching.
“Raleigh is a great example of a well-rounded student giving back to the area community by coaching while also going to school full time,” said CSUCI Professor of Art Alison Perchuk.
Mendez believes coaching carries a lot of life lessons, which he enjoys sharing with his team, and watching them grow as a result.
“I had good coaches in high school and I’m trying to pass on what I learned,” he said. “The single most important thing is, nothing big is going to happen overnight, but if you keep showing up every day, eventually something amazing happens.”