Rick’s Sports Corner: Karisma Mendez, Two-Sport Stand Out

By Rick Assad

Karisma Mendez doesn’t stand out in one sport but the senior at Burroughs High has drawn attention in two sports.

A gifted and polished infielder for the softball team, she has also distinguished herself on the first-ever flag football team as a quarterback for the Bears.

Mendez’s play was noticed and was selected to play for Mexico in the recently played Friendship Bowl.

“Becoming a part of the Friendship Bowl team for Mexico came from when one of their managers got in contact with one of the softball parents who told my mom that they were looking for a flag football player to play alongside with the team and had a Mexican family background,” she said. “The experience I had with the girls was amazing and such a once in a lifetime experience.”

Mendez, who plays second base and shortstop, added: “The players and coaches were very welcoming, and it was such a great atmosphere as it felt like family when playing with them,” she noted.

Mendez, who also played wide receiver and linebacker, stood out on the gridiron because she’s quick with the pass after tossing 25 touchdowns but also ready to run when it’s necessary after averaging 30.5 yards a game and scoring five touchdowns during the season.

“I loved every single moment playing flag football my senior year. Our team had such great chemistry with each other and we all had so much fun as we were learning the game throughout the season together,” she said. “I believe the best highlights of this season was when we figured out what we were capable of doing and accomplished it towards the end of the season.”

Mendez, who helped the Bears to an 11-13 record, continued: “Being able to throw around 35 to 40 yards and the girls being able to receive them,” she said. “That’s when our connections hit the most.”

Keith Knoop is the Burroughs athletic director and its flag football coach and previously its football coach.

“Karisma is such a fantastic person. She took to girls’ flag football like a bird to flight,” he explained. “Girls’ flag football truly lit a fire in her to love this new phenomenon known as flag football. She was determined to be good and competitive and learn the game. Honestly, she made me excited to coach again.”

Playing softball and later flag football was something Mendez, who will attend college but probably won’t play softball, had in her sights and relished.

“I wanted to play softball in high school because of my life revolving around this sport and all my free time indulging and preparing for games and practices. My siblings played for Burroughs. My sister played softball, and my brother played baseball. I was influenced by myself to become better at them, because of my competitiveness” she said. “As for flag football, I wanted to try something new. I knew my siblings played one season when they were in middle school, so I wanted to test it out and see if I was also able to play. Turns out I was right! But in all seriousness, I wanted to play flag football as it’s a growing sport at the moment especially now that women are getting more recognition playing sports.”

Mendez went on: “Seeing football players wear shirts that encourage those to watch girls’ flag football and seeing the Olympics adding flag football is amazing and now seeing that softball is finally getting a league that is sponsored by MLB,” she said. “It’s great seeing more and more recognition of women’s sports overall.”

Playing two sports takes time, skill and effort and it also requires being patient and analytical.

“To prepare for both softball and flag football I will usually visually manifest what my performance would be to the very breath. I would visualize my swing from gripping the bat to the weather on my skin to the sound of the dugout, and the feeling when hitting,” Mendez acknowledged. “Same goes for flag football, visualizing my grip when throwing, the feeling of the turf, the windows that are possible with the plays, and making that throw to the wide receivers’ hands. Every sport comes down to being a mental game.”

Mendez is about to play her final season on the softball field and she expects it to be rewarding.

“Playing softball has been such an experience with me as I grew up. My entire life revolves around this sport. Starting when I was four years old playing travel ball to now finishing my career during the spring of my senior year,” she said. “I have loved this sport and there were times I had dreaded this sport but yet there has never been a dull moment while playing this sport.”

Mendez continued: “Softball is such a mental game that takes a toll on you, but in the end it is a game you play along with some of your best friends,” she stated. “The connection the softball team has to Burroughs is such a great culture. We all have each other’s backs, and we have such great chemistry on the field.”

Doug Nicol is a longtime coach at Burroughs and has seen first-hand Mendez help the Bears to two Pacific League championships.

“I am looking forward to Karisma having a sensational senior year. She is going to be counted on to be a leader on this team,” he said. “She has won two league titles in her three years here at Burroughs, and I know how much a third would mean to her.”

Nicol knows that Mendez is determined to cap her softball career in style.

“She has been putting in the work, both on the field and in the weight room and I am excited to watch her crush it this year,” he said.

Toiling at two sports requires laser-focused dedication and that’s not counting time in the classroom.

“I believe sports helped me become a leader, a problem solver, and become a critical thinker. When playing softball, you need to know the play before the ball gets hit, knowing how many outs, what’s the situation, and know who you should throw to if you get the ball,” Mendez said. “It’s such a critical game that helps thinking on the spot and helps communicating with others.”

Mendez added: “Even if you don’t have the title of being a captain, there’s times where you might need to lead,” she stated. “Meaning helping another player, being there for them, and being vocal during games. With flag football, it helped me learn new skills, being able to adapt to a whole different game by using the same mechanics and alternate them for the better.”

Mendez is keenly aware what her strengths are and they are numerous.

“The best attributes I have both on the field and in the classroom are being a critical thinker and problem solver. There have been so many times in the classroom where I had been confused on the topic but there wouldn’t be a time I would give up,” she said. “That plays along with being on the field. I would never give up if I am in a slump as I would try and find different ways and methods to get myself out of it.”

Mendez wasn’t finished with her thought: “The best thing to do when struggling is to never give up and to keep on trying and you will find a pathway, even if it becomes bumpy,” she said.

Mendez addressed specifically how she gets out of a down period.

“When I was in a slump, I would ask for guidance from either coaches or from the girls. I wouldn’t give up on myself since I knew I had the potential. It was just a matter of fixing my attitude, my rhythm and trying something different,” she said. “Asking for guidance lets you get a perspective others are seeing that could help you solve the puzzle.”

Mendez was asked which softball game or games were the most memorable to date.

“One game that had stood out to me was playing against Crescenta Valley last year, 2025 Senior night,” she said. “I believe that had been one of the best games I had played and a game the entire team did very well. We all played our very best. We were all on our toes wanting that win for Senior Night and in the end we got that win. Another game that had stood out was a pre-season game from this fall as I hit my first home run out of the park against Notre Dame. It felt amazing finally getting that home run I’ve  been waiting for my entire high school career.”

In a few months, Mendez will begin her final season as a softball player at the high school level and it will be bittersweet.

“I believe what I will miss the most about high school and playing two different sports is the coaching staff and the girls. Playing with Coach Doug and with Coach Knoop has been such an honor as they both have been coaching for a long time at Burroughs,” she offered. “As for the girls, I have such great love for them all as they had become such amazing friends to play along with and the girls on flag football team created a great experience all together by figuring out how to play a sport, we all barely knew how to play.”

Nicol appreciates everything Mendez has brought to the softball program.

“Karisma is such a joy to coach. With Karisma, you never have to worry if she is going to come to practice ready to go,” he said. “She is dedicated to our program and comes to practice each day with intensity and ready to work hard.”

Nicol continued: “She understands that each day is a competition and realizes that she is a leader in our program who the younger girls look for guidance and to continue the culture that has been built by those before her,” he said. “She wasn’t given anything in her career here at Burroughs. She has had to earn everything, and that was only done because of her work ethic and because she is a person of high character who takes pride in giving 100 percent every single day. She is just an outstanding person who I enjoy coaching very much.”