As we celebrate Latino Heritage Month, we are excited to shine a spotlight on our staff members who proudly embrace their rich Latino heritage.
Meet Aaron Sandoval, our Video Assistant!
Tell us a little bit about what you do for the Chargers.
I am a video assistant; a big part of my job is assisting the coaches daily with whatever they need for scouting our current and future opponents. This entails making cutups of film, helping coaches with all their technology needs, and filming games/practices. I love my job. There is a lot of pressure at times meeting tight deadlines and working under high stressed situations, like a computer going out during a team meeting, but a major key to building the players' and coaches' trust is staying cool under pressure.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Helping our coaches and players with any technical issues they may have. At times, there is a lot of pressure on us to get things done in a timely manner and when you can solve it right away its one of the best feelings. Being the person that people can depend on is special. At times, it is thankless endeavor, but solving problems is why being in coaches' video is fun.
What aspects of Latino culture are most important to you, and why?
The hard-working mentality of Latino culture has always been something very important to me. A lot of my family came to this country as farmers and ranchers, working long hours to provide for their families. My grandfather instilled that mentality into my father, which was then passed to down to me being able to work long hours helping assist the team in any way possible to get this organization its first Lombardi Trophy.
Are there any traditions or customs you particularly cherish?
The family, in Latino culture, is very sacred. Every year, my family has a reunion and it's one of the best traditions we keep. Hundreds of Sandovals from across California, the United States, down to Mexico come together to play games and eat a lot of food. It's always one of the highlights of the year for me. It is those strong family ties that I carry with me here at the Chargers with my coworkers. I do my best to try to make everyone I meet here feel included and loved.
Are there any Latino leaders or role models who have influenced your career or personal development
My father, Victor Sandoval. He came to California at young age, going on to serve in the United States Navy, which helped him gain his citizenship. He then went on to have me and my five siblings, getting all of us through college, while sometimes working two jobs at once. He did this so we could have a better life. He is true inspiration to me and why I am fulfilling a dream working in the NFL.
