Favorite Jay Martin Story
Eric Warn '89
Winslow, ME
I came to OWU after a close friend from New York, Tom Macnamara '87, helped Jay recruit me to OWU. Upon arrival, I found myself with the opportunity to start as a freshman back, which, at that time, was my expectation as a young, naive kid from NY. Within 5-6 games, I was not playing to the needed standard and lost my starting role and watched from the bench for the first time in my life. There, my development journey began. Jay always knew how to let you figure it out.
I learned what hard work really was during that time and held myself accountable in a way I had not prior to this. Through Jay's leadership, I began to work harder and harder with each passing year, always finding a new level to train at and find my way back into starting roles and eventually leading as a team Captain. In my junior year, we had lost 3 All-Americans to graduation and were picked, I believe, third in the NCAC, let alone having a significant national ranking.
Jay completely changed our strategy to a high press and upped the fitness level significantly through the newly added Mike Pressler touch to the team. Not only did we win and go undefeated in the conference that year, but we made another run at a national championship. His ability to afford every player the chance to find and pursue their inner best is unmatched as a coach and as a person.
I had solid success in my role for OWU with some nice accolades in the end, but that seems small compared to the lessons I learned about life and the standards I hold myself to in competing in life. I work every day to pass those traits on to my children and any teams I have helped to coach in the hopes that I can be as impactful to them in their journey as Jay was for me.