By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 6/22/23
Jack Martinez believes his lax IQ and versatility as an attackman are his greatest strengths.
“I think one of my biggest strengths on the field is definitely my vision,” said the rising senior from Morris Knolls (N.J.) and NJ Thunder. “The ability to find players in tight spots, move the ball quickly, and to be able to dodge from wherever and find my teammates cutting.
“This summer I am definitely working on dodging from X and turning the corner to finish on the run. I have been working on this to up my game because I have recently been moved to X for my club team.”
Martinez, who in the spring had 41 goals and 34 points this spring while leading Morris Knolls to the NJAC United Conference title, followed that up Friday by being named the MVP or “Beast” at the Victory Events Beast of the East Showcase at Maple Zone in Aston (see the All-Showcase team below).
“My goal was to meet a bunch of new guys that were all not only trying to have fun, but to compete at a high level as well,” he said. “A lot went well in the showcase, I played well, moved the ball fast, and ultimately played with guys that are all trying to get to the next level just like me.”
Martinez felt his Showcase team jelled and was able to communicate effectively.
“The competition was definitely solid,” he said. “We were all playing with kids that we haven’t really played with before so it’s usually pretty even.
“Communication is definitely a huge part of this game and I feel like our team exceeded my expectations in that category. So we didn’t really have to adjust to the fact of it being awkward with playing with guys you haven’t (played with) before.
Martinez is not set on a college destination yet. He is interested in business and minoring in exercise science.
During the high school season, he set a school record for points and was named All-Division and All-Conference for a 15-4 squad that reached the New Jersey North Group 3 semifinals.
“This high school season was definitely one to remember,” he said. “We had a special group of guys and with a lot of our seniors graduating we have to fill some gaps to get to where we need to be next year.”
