Former player Joey Mendes steps up to lead Fort Myers High football

LEE COUNTY, Fla. (WINK)— Fort Myers High School is entering a new era after Hall of Fame coach Sam Sirianni Jr. retired following more than four decades on the sideline.

Joey Mendes is now leading the Green Wave. For Mendes, this isn't just a new job — it's a homecoming.

He played for Sirianni, coached alongside him and spent years learning what it means to represent Fort Myers football. Replacing a coach who won hundreds of games and helped shape generations of players could feel daunting, but Mendes says his focus isn't on filling those shoes.

It's on preserving the culture that has made Fort Myers what it is. He wants his players to understand that wearing the Green Wave jersey means putting the team first and carrying on the legacy built over decades.

"You just kind of take on that role and kind of keep the same things going that he's built into… what we've done from our success in the last couple years too," Mendes said. "It's huge. You know, when I went to school there, you bleed green. You love green."

The Green Wave will open its season at home against Estero in three weeks.