Kirk Martin '22 Recruiting Profile

I look forward to playing baseball while preparing for a career in engineering or business at higher education. I participate in Project Lead The Way (PLTW), a STEM curriculum, at my high school.  This has allowed me to take introductory level courses in these fields and gain a deeper understanding of my interests.

In second grade I attended a baseball camp at my high school.  I came home the first night and told my parents I wanted to “play ball”.  It was this day I fell in love with baseball and from there grew to love being the catcher.  To me, the catcher is not the center of attention, but gets to be involved in every play.  My strengths shine when I am behind the plate in my personality and character as well as my athleticism.  No matter which team I have played on, I am a natural leader and communicator.  A previous basketball coach nominated me for an award for the club basketball team.  Her essay read in part, “…Kirk is the ultimate team player. In practice and games, he is always communicating with his teammates. He’s willing to play any position the coach asks him to, and after a game, regardless of a win or loss, he adds a positive comment to the team talk. If I had to narrow it down to one reason why I feel Kirk is so deserving of this award, it would be how he exemplifies sportsmanship. In game situations, he’s “that player” that extends a hand and helps an opposing player that has fallen to the floor. If one of his teammates is down on themselves, Kirk’s there with positive reinforcement. On and off the court, Kirk has such a positive outlook on life. He is a very optimistic person who is a delight to be around…”  While humbled by her comments, I feel honored to have these attributes that come natural to me which I can showcase on and off the field.

Over the years I have had to learn failure and be reminded baseball is not a game of perfection.  Being able to muster through these times has taught me about resilience and overcoming challenges that will prepare me for the next stage of academics, athletics and beyond.