Freelance Teams

[Proseteye]

I don't know if anyone would be interested. But, I'll post anyway.

 

The St. John Lutheran Saints of Ocala is one of the teams that I support here in town. My friend Chris Martin took over the team last season after the school had dropped football two years before. In 2010 SJL went 9-2 and to the first round of the playoffs in Class 2A. In 2011 they went 9-3 and to the 2nd round. They gave Warner Christian a couple of good games those years. They had a pretty sensational RB named Calib Alexander who rushed for 1,600 yds in 2010 and over 2,500 yards in 2011. And, he was out with a shoulder injury for 3 games in 2011. Everything went downhill in 2012 and then they didn't field a team in 2013. In 2014 they tried regrouping under a new coach and lost every game they played and didn't score 1 point. You can imagine what a chore it was for Martin, an experienced coach with Trinity Catholic and North Marion, to round up accomplished assistant coaches and also round up enough bodies to play the sport in 2015 in which they won only one game with about 15 players. This year they do have about 23 players and lost their first game 30-20 to Faith Christian after leading for most of the game. They then won their next game 32-12 over Wildwood. They actually look like a pretty decent team in their own right. Currently they are playing in the Freelance classification. I know that Martin will bring this team back to the 2010-11 era. He's a good coach and also a good mentor for the players. I will provide updates on the progress of this team as they progress through the season. 

 

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/1694828/5721af2be984d413d4e35eee

[Joshua Wilson]

I don't know if anyone would be interested. But, I'll post anyway.

 

The St. John Lutheran Saints of Ocala is one of the teams that I support here in town. My friend Chris Martin took over the team last season after the school had dropped football two years before. In 2010 SJL went 9-2 and to the first round of the playoffs in Class 2A. In 2011 they went 9-3 and to the 2nd round. They gave Warner Christian a couple of good games those years. They had a pretty sensational RB named Calib Alexander who rushed for 1,600 yds in 2010 and over 2,500 yards in 2011. And, he was out with a shoulder injury for 3 games in 2011. Everything went downhill in 2012 and then they didn't field a team in 2013. In 2014 they tried regrouping under a new coach and lost every game they played and didn't score 1 point. You can imagine what a chore it was for Martin, an experienced coach with Trinity Catholic and North Marion, to round up accomplished assistant coaches and also round up enough bodies to play the sport in 2015 in which they won only one game with about 15 players. This year they do have about 23 players and lost their first game 30-20 to Faith Christian after leading for most of the game. They then won their next game 32-12 over Wildwood. They actually look like a pretty decent team in their own right. Currently they are playing in the Freelance classification. I know that Martin will bring this team back to the 2010-11 era. He's a good coach and also a good mentor for the players. I will provide updates on the progress of this team as they progress through the season. 

 

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/1694828/5721af2be984d413d4e35eee

 

St. John Lutheran is actually a member of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference and is in their Florida Championship Series Division which is for rebuilding teams. Could move up next year if they keep on winning.

 

I am not sure if you are aware though that Martin stepped down early last week. Ocala Star-Banner had a brief report on him stepping down.

[Proseteye]

St. John Lutheran is actually a member of the Sunshine State Athletic Conference and is in their Florida Championship Series Division which is for rebuilding teams. Could move up next year if they keep on winning.

 

I am not sure if you are aware though that Martin stepped down early last week. Ocala Star-Banner had a brief report on him stepping down.

Maxpreps has them in the Freelance Division and that is basically what I had to go on, Joshua. 

 

You have got to be kidding that Martin is stepping down. I have not read the Star Banner as I don't subscribe to the print or on line newspaper and can't access it otherwise. Just taking a guess is that either something to do with his family or that he obtained a job in another part of Florida or out of state. He was building that team from scratch and had high hopes this year of making the playoffs. At any rate, he brought in some very good experienced assistants and one of them should be able to take over. At least I hope so. 

[SportsNut25]

Maxpreps has them in the Freelance Division and that is basically what I had to go on, Joshua. 

 

You have got to be kidding that Martin is stepping down. I have not read the Star Banner as I don't subscribe to the print or on line newspaper and can't access it otherwise. Just taking a guess is that either something to do with his family or that he obtained a job in another part of Florida or out of state. He was building that team from scratch and had high hopes this year of making the playoffs. At any rate, he brought in some very good experienced assistants and one of them should be able to take over. At least I hope so. 

 

Here's the article, for free - http://www.ocala.com/sports/20160830/martin-steps-down-as-st-john-head-coach

[Proseteye]

After reading the article I just don't believe the reason he gives for stepping down. Martin spent 8 years with the Celtic team. The reason he left Trinity was that he was passed over as HC for John Brantley. He and Brantley did not get along and that is why Martin left to coach at Vanguard. I know how passionate he was about his first HC job. He lived for this team and treated his players like they were his sons. Did an awful lot for the athletic department by obtaining boosters and sponsors. Also, getting the parents involved in their son's activities with the team. There is just no way that he would just up and leave so abruptly. I see some sort of friction with possibly the school administration, maybe a disgruntled parent, or even the AD. Martin is not one to put up with nonsense or listening to people who want to interfere in his running of the team. At any rate, St. John Lutheran has probably lost a major hope of fielding a viable football team into the future although there is the possibility that his assistant may be able to salvage what is left.