After an incredible 37 years coaching soccer and 36 years teaching Physical Education, beloved Palo Verde coach and P.E. teacher Jim Mentz is hanging up his whistle…well, sort of.
“It’s the right time,” said Mentz, reflecting on a career full of memories, milestones, and a whole lot of heart. “I’ve coached soccer, baseball, and taught P.E. here for decades. I’m ready to spend some time with family, maybe take a few vacations. But I’ll still be around, working on the field in the offseason, running fall and summer leagues, and coaching baseball. I’m not disappearing.”
Coach Mentz’s impact reaches far beyond championships and games. He’s coached through generations, literally. “Now I get kids in class telling me, ‘Hey, my mom played soccer for you!’ or ‘My dad had you in P.E.’ That’s when you know you’ve been here a while,” he laughed.
While the wins are memorable, especially the 2005 baseball state title and deep playoff runs in the late '90s, Mentz says it’s the everyday moments that mean the most. “Playing hockey in P.E., announcing football games, pep assemblies, seeing kids grow year after year, those are the things I’ll never forget.”
And he’s not slowing down just yet. On April 26, he's hosting Palo Verde’s annual Alumni Baseball Game, a tradition he revived after returning post-retirement in 2018. It's a carnival style event full of food trucks, games, and memories in the making. “I’m pitching the Home Run Derby, and we’ve got alumni from all over coming back to play. It’s going to be special.”
Even in “retirement,” Coach Mentz is still focused on growing the game. “To the parents of incoming freshmen, if your kid has never played baseball, that’s OK. We’ll teach them. They’ll get better, and we’ll make it fun. I bring back alumni coaches, we run fall and summer leagues, it’s more than just the game. It’s about building a team, and a family.”
His license plate still reads PV517, a nod to the Titan state title win and his passion for the school is stronger than ever. “Once a Titan, always a Titan,” Mentz said proudly. “This community has given me everything. I just want to give back.”
As Palo Verde celebrates Coach Mentz’s legendary career, one thing’s for sure, his legacy is stitched into every jersey, echoed in every pep rally, and rooted deep in the heart of Titan Nation.
