PROMISE KEEPER
Norte Vista defensive coordinator Martinez fulfilling final promise to his late wife
RIVERSIDE >> Andy Martinez said he thought about hanging up his coaching whistle for good earlier this year. But Martinez made a promise to his late wife of 48 years, Lina, and it is one he intends to fulfill.
Martinez has been a highly-respected high school football assistant coach in the Inland area for 43 seasons, but the 2021 fall season has been the first one without his wife by his side. In 2019, Lina Martinez was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She was cancer-free for almost a year, but the cancer returned last fall in her lungs and quickly spread throughout her body. Lina Martinez passed away on July 14, 2021.
“I asked back her in January if I could walk away, and she told me absolutely not,” Andy Martinez said. “She was always very proud to be a coach’s wife, and she knew how much I loved it. I made a lot of promises to her during those final days, and one was to coach this season and do everything possible to win a ring.”
Martinez is in his second stint as the defensive coordinator at Norte Vista under coach Ken Batdorf. The Braves brought a 5-0 record into Thursday evening’s River Valley League game against Patriot, and one of the reasons for that perfect record has been the play of the defense. Norte Vista has allowed a total of 21 points over five games and has posted shutout victories over Claremont, Redlands and Arlington.
Batdorf, who is in his 28th season as Norte Vista’s head coach, was thrilled when Martinez returned to his coaching staff for the 2019 season. Martinez has been Batdorf’s defensive coordinator a
“I asked back her in January if I could walk away, and she told me absolutely not ...”
— Norte Vista defensive coach
Andy Martinez
total of 10 seasons.
“Andy will do anything and everything for you because he is so loyal,” Batdorf said. “His knowledge of the game is incredible, and his ability to communicate with kids is second to none. People often say that I am a father figure to our players. Well, Andy is the grandfather figure. It has been amazing to see how much the kids learn from him. And players respect him because they see how much he cares for them.”
Andy and Lina Martinez were high school sweethearts at John W. North in Riverside. They went out on a date for the first time on January 15, 1971, and the couple was inseparable for the next 50 years.
“I noticed her a year before I finally got the courage to ask her out,” Andy recalled. “It was love at first sight.”
Andy and Lina married in 1973 and soon started a family. That was the same year Andy took his first job as a football coach, joining Larry Hilsabeck’s staff at North. Andy has been an assistant coach at a handful of other high schools in the Inland area, including Ramona, Centennial, Miller, Corona and Hillcrest.
And no matter where a coaching job took him, Andy always had unconditional love and support from Lina.
“Anything Andy did, Lina was right there beside him,” said Steve Silberman, who Martinez assisted at Centennial for a handful of seasons. “We would be waiting for scouting reports to come off of the computer on the weekends, and Lina would make dinner for all of the coaches while we were working.”
Andy and Lina often had “date nights” that included going to a scrimmage or a game for scouting purposes.
“We have been to San Ysidro and Atascadero and pretty much everywhere in between,” Andy said about those moments. “We would plan everything out for those days and nights just so we had time together.”
John Brandom had Martinez on his coaching staffs at Corona and Hillcrest for a total of five years. Martinez coached Brandom as a freshman at North before Brandom transferred over to Riverside Poly.
“Andy is an old-school coach, but his passion is timeless,” Brandom said. “He is someone who will work his butt off and do anything that is needed, and you want those type of coaches beside you.”
Martinez worked in the grocery store business for 40 years. And despite long hours, Martinez never stopped coaching football because he loved passing on his knowledge of the game to young. players. In 2019, Martinez was a recipient of the Gib Dear Award, an honor given annually to assistant coaches by the Southern California Football Coaches Association.
“If I can help one kid or make an impact in one player’s life, then I know I have done my job, Martinez said.
Martinez and Batdorf first met when they were on the coaching staffs at Centennial under Hilsabeck and Silberman. Batdorf said he constantly pleaded for Martinez to come join him at Norte Vista.
“We have coached together for 13 years now. Andy is much more than my defensive coordinator. He is one of my closest friends in the world,” Batdorf said. “Having him in my life has truly been a blessing.”
Lina loved New York City, and in 2019, Batdorf paid for the couple’s weekend trip to The Big Apple. Andy and Lina went to the Yankees home opener that season and visited Central Park. Lina was a big fan of The Beatles, so they also made a trip to The Dakota apartment building, where John Lennon was killed in 1980.
Andy said the last couple of months have been extremely difficult for him emotionally. In the past, Lina was there to offer words of encouragement if he came home frustrated after a subpar practice.
“The night she died, I lied in my room and noticed I didn’t have any pictures of her in the room.” Andy said. “I asked my granddaughter to make some pictures. Now, whenever I am feeling down, I go into my room, look at those pictures and just try to imagine what she would say to me right now.
“On Sundays, I put on music while I am watching and breaking down game films. We were together for 50 years, We had many songs, so there are times I shed some tears... It’s just been really lonely lately.”
Andy has had some health concerns of his own in recent years. In 2016, while coaching at Hillcrest, he suffered a heart attack during the team’s playoff game in Big Bear. He also has frequent pain in his legs, likely the result of arthritis. Martinez has hinted this could be his last season as a coach.
“I want to keep coaching, but I don’t think my body will let me do it much longer,” Martinez said. “I thought about stepping away after the spring season, but Lina made me promise to keep on going... She said to me, ‘You came back to Norte Vista to help get Ken a championship. You need to finish what you started.’”