Winning With Class: Al Martin Honored as Citizen of Year

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Put down the locker room play book for a moment and instead pick up the words from Proverbs 27:17.

There, it is written: "Steel sharpens steel, as one man sharpens another."

Last night, Du Quoin special education instructor and Du Quoin varsity head football coach Al Martin was clearly that man, and he did again what he always does--inspires us as a community to be even better than we already are.

In accepting the 2008 Du Quoin Citizen of the Year Award, Martin spoke less about himself and more about the trilogy that has shaped his life--family, his love of education and football--in that order.

The award was presented by Du Quoin Chamber of Commerce president Charles Novak, who also delivered a well-placed invocation asking for blessings upon the Martin family. He told Martin, "The character you bring to Du Quoin is inspiring to all of us." Novak added that leaders who are leaders spend most of their time talking about the people who shaped their lives, and Martin did that.

Novak said it is clear why the chamber selected such a great man.

Despite athletic events taking place all across Southern Illinois, including Du Quoin's varsity basketball team playing in the Sparta Mid-Winter Classic, more than 200 filled the American Legion Center, the largest attendance ever for the storied annual banquet.

The night included a presentation to past chamber president Frank Deaton and Deaton's own presentation of the very special President's Award for Service to Don Barrett, longtime chamber board member and concessions committee chair and member.

Nearly a dozen door prizes were dispensed with the drawing of the 50/50 ticket by this reporter. A $200 share went to Du Quoin Shelter Insurance agent Pete Patalas and a $200 share stayed with the chamber.

Du Quoin Mayor John Rednour--scheduled to deliver the welcome--was stuck at the airport in Washington D.C. trying to get home. Fred Huff--who was suppose to give the introduction--was recovering from flu-like symptoms.

The job fell to Martin's mentor and fellow Hall of Fame Coach Bob Karnes, who conveyed the fact that Du Quoin enjoys the unique place in Southern Illinois football history of having only two head football coaches in the past 41 years. Some programs have had 10 or 11. Guests nodded their approval.

"Al was a teacher first," said Karnes. And the families of the hundreds of special needs students he has taught will bear witness to that. "Al is not one to care for statistics. That breaks Fred (Huff's) heart," Karnes smiled, knowing Huff's attention to detail. Martin embraces the four "F's"--father, family, friends and football, said Karnes.

He said Martin's life can be summed up in one word-- "Du Quoin." "You want to live here and raise your family here," he said. "You make a living off of what you get. You make a life off of what you give."

Karnes remembered coaching Martin, and the night they spent an hour after a game looking for Martin's contact lens on the football field. "I don't know how many square feet that is," he smiled.

"I, for one, have never seen him when he wasn't prepared and he wasn't positive," Karnes said.

Karnes closed with a very personal thought, "If I had been an assistant coach when Al was head coach, I would have been a better coach."

On occasion, the thoughts of the night turned to the new administration and because of the evening's football theme, all added to the prayers for the nation's "new quarterback."

Du Quoin Evening Call sports editor Jeff Profitt knows the careers of Karnes and Martin like the back of his hand, and assembled this profile as Martin was honored.

The 54-year-old Martin has led the Indians into the Class 3A Playoffs 21 of a state-record 25 consecutive times while reaching six state title games. The Indians captured 3A state titles twice (1988 and 1992) and were state runners-up in 2008, 2002, 1995 and 1992.

Du Quoin teams have won or shared 17 conference championships during Martin's reign with six undefeated regular seasons and 14 trips into the state's final four. Along the way, the Indians pieced together 23 and 24-game victory streaks while building a remarkable playoff record of 51-19. Overall, his Du Quoin record is 215-44.

A multi-winner of Southern Illinois Coaches Association (SICA) Coach-of-the-Year honors, Martin also serves on the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Football Advisory Board and has coached and/or selected players for several different all-star games.

Martin-who begins his 22nd year coaching football at Du Quoin in August-last April joined Bob Karnes (1988), Whitey Miller (1991), Don Anderson (1991) and Paul Restivo (1985) as Indian mentors voted to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association (IHSFCA) Hall of Fame.

While enjoying success as Du Quoin's boys track and field coach the past decade, Martin has also coached baseball, girls basketball and boys basketball at DHS. In track, Martin guided athletes to four individual Class A State Championships while leading the Indians to a second place finish in the 2007 team standings.

While continuing to carry a full class load teaching Special Education, Martin also supervises the school's winter athletic conditioning program. He told the audience he plans to "slow down" but few believed him.

2009 is the 33rd year of football coaching for Martin, who graduated from Du Quoin High School (1972) and Murray State University (1976) with honors.

According to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), Al Martin's 215 wins rank 13th among current active coaches statewide. He also among the 25 best all-time in Illinois for victories and stands ninth in wins amassed at one school.

The all-time winningest grid coach in DHS' illustrious football past, he's also the longest tenured head coach while accounting for 215 of the school's 544 football wins.

In the neighborhood of 40 former players of Martin's have participated in college football and/or track, dozens earning scholarships.

Martin, born May 2, 1954 in Du Quoin, attended Sacred Heart School where his values were galvanized by the Catholic discipline. He attended Du Quoin High School, was an academic success, and during an early athletic career had the pleasure of playing alongside Don Stanhouse on a baseball team that went to state.

Martin and teammates always turned the darkest hour into the finest hour, playing on the 1970 basketball team picked as last in the conference, but wound up not only winning the conference but going onto sectional.

He was accepted at Murray State University and received his degree in special education and has embraced a teaching philosophy that all young people are special. His challenge and his success is in finding the key to unlocking those gifts.

After graduation from Murray State, Allen took his first teaching job at Grayville High School and in 1977 he accepted a position in the nearby Christopher High School, where he taught for two years. He came to Du Quoin in 1979 to become teacher and coach, and to accept the summer position of swimming pool manager. It was one of the most fulfilling assignments of his life. Coach Martin remained as coach, but left education long enough to become part of Perry County's once-great coal mining industry.

When the "black gold" of Southern Illinois mining disappeared and Martin lost mining job, he recounted having to go to the Murphysboro unemployment office to file for benefits to sustain his family. He called it the most humbling day of his life. He returned to education, teaching in Carbondale for a year. This star DHS athlete would come back to us as coach, educator and role model in 1988. For all of us, he made the right decision.

The extraordinary character in the Martin gene pool exists in wife Sharon-- also a special education teacher-- and with his three sons--Zeb, Joel and Simon. Their great careers include things like construction, working for Boeing and firefighting. "Boeing is having a sale on jetliners right now," Martin laughed, hoping the industry holds up to sustain one of his son's careers.

Martin used his remarks to celebrate the uniqueness and personal greatness of every family member, coaches and certainly teachers who shaped his life. His mother was among those attending. And, he thanked his late father, who while hunting rabbits told him that if he missed a shot "put another shell in and keep shooting."

"I missed a lot of shots," he smiled softly.

Through it all, he continues to thank wife Sharon. "When I was told I was going to get this award she told me 'you are going to have to stay out of trouble, now'." This is a man who took his strength from his mother's chocolate chip cookies--never steroids.

Of this year's state tournament series he said, "We worked hard" and not winning "hurt." He added, "But our pep club won the tent decorating contest, so next year Debbie Mannino (pep club sponsor) will coach our team." Martin said his life has been guided by "a little hope and a little faith and we can't be afraid to make mistakes."

There was no mistake in honoring him as Citizen of the Year. The chamber certainly got it right.