Favorite Jay Martin Story
Tacuma Robinson '02
Germantown, MD
Maya Angelou once said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This is what I remember about Coach Jay Martin. He cared about his players and about the OWU program, and he knew how to get the best out of both.
Coach Jay Martin was there for me in my biggest crisis at OWU, the death of my mother. At that moment, he was more than a coach; he was a mentor and a friend. He helped me through that time in ways that I can never forget, and I often think about why he cared about me. I was just one of many freshman players. He didn't know me that well. But that is just Coach Jay. He cares about people, and he is a great man-manager. That's why so many ex-players care about him.
When it comes to Jay as a coach, he has a knack for making a team better than the sum of its parts. Throughout my four years at OWU, we had varying levels of talent within the squad, but we continuously put out formidable teams. We always were ranked within the top 10, except for my freshman year, during which we began the year unranked but ended up winning the national championship. Through his wit, humor, and experience in managing personalities, he was able to get our teams to gel as one unit regardless of player turnover.
He also treated the program like a professional program through investment and his stewardship, and that pride and professionalism helped the players buy into what he was building. It's no surprise that he has the most wins in NCAA men's soccer history. That's neither by accident nor by circumstance. It's a legacy of hard work, intention, and brilliance. He set a standard.
Coach Jay's impact on OWU's soccer program is immense. He has raised the level of the program, its facilities, and its recruitment. I personally feel lucky to know him and am saddened that future players will miss that opportunity, although I know he wouldn't retire unless the team was in good hands.
Good luck in the future OWU, and congratulations Coach Jay on the legacy you have built.