Eric Martinez '16 Recruiting Profile

   I've always had to work hard to be at where I am today. I began my running career in my sophomore year as a way to get out of PE. I wasn't motivated and didn't really enjoy running cross country. But for some reason, when my school's Track and Field season began, everything changed. Running became fun and something I genuinely enjoyed doing. In my first race, I shocked my coach with how well I ran my very first one mile race and from then on, he made sure I would one day be running on the varsity team. Let me tell you, it was not easy. 
   My coach made me run with the women's varsity then gradually shift to running with the varsity men. I was surprised with how fast I was able to transition and by the end of my very first season I was competing to be on the top ten varsity males. Although I unfortunately did not make varsity that year, I did however make the varsity men's team of my junior year. I not only practiced with the team, I made sure to get in all the practice I needed before my junior season even started to ensure my success.
   Just for fun, I was given the chance to run the 800M run and just like the year before, I shocked my coaches with my time. So I decided to commit myself mainly to the 800M run and was able to nock off around 10 seconds off my first time in the matter of a couple races. I worked day and night to improve myself and all my hard work paid off since, as of now, I am the fastest 800M male we have on the team. I know my times aren't the fastest in the state, but I know with more hard work and dedication, I will become an even better who WILL qualify for state and have the chance to run the race he was cheated out of last year by 2 seconds.
   I am a great candidate for your team because I put my athletics right up there with my education and make sure that I practice and get better. I will do anything it takes to improve and I have the drive to do anything it takes to make the team and be sure that I perform at the highest standards that are required of me. What makes me different from the other recruits is that I although I take the sport seriously, I mainly make sure that I am having fun/enjoying running.It sounds odd, but a lot of athletes forget that along with hard work and dedication, you must have the heart to play your sport which is something athletes do not have. They only focus on making the team and secretly wish they never made it in the first place. I on the other, have the heart for Track and Field, it is something I consider to be the best thing in the world and feel so at ease when I'm running. Trust me, I also give 110% of myself when it comes to training but I make sure that I know deep inside, it is something I genuinely want to do. As an athlete cannot truly perform well in a sport without the passion, as with most things in this world.
   I believe all these things make me different than any other recruit: I have the heart and passion that most do not have or have forgotten and lost long ago...