Junior Luke Martin started playing basketball and running track in middle school and is now a part of La Salle’s junior varsity basketball team and the varsity track team. 

Martin is currently in basketball season, but his favorite sport is track and field. After taking a break during his freshman year, he returned for his sophomore season and didn’t skip a beat making the varsity team. “I played track in middle school, and I just started it back up in high school,” he said.

As a kid, Martin followed in his brothers’ footsteps and started playing sports because of them. “Since my brothers kind of led everything in my family,” he said. Other than his brothers, Martin was also inspired by his father.

Currently, Martin’s primary inspiration still comes from his brother, and his ability to overcome injuries. “My brother, he overcame two ACL injuries,” he said. “So I think it is impressive and helps me keep working.”

Martin has faced plenty of highs and lows in sports. He notes that a significant trouble is finding confidence and motivation. “Since my brother got hurt playing basketball, that kind of scared me and that took my confidence down,” he said. 

For Martin, balancing school and sports can be stressful, but he finds a way to make it work. “Sports make school more stressful, but I am still able to manage it,” he said. “It is never to a point where I can’t manage school.”

Martin’s favorite class at La Salle is AP Biology. “Obviously it is a struggle, but I enjoy science,” he said. Martin’s favorite teacher was math teacher Larry Swanson who has since retired, but if he had to choose a favorite now, he’s not sure who it would be.

Despite the stress of trying to balance both school and sports, Martin says that his teachers are always there for him. “Teachers are super supportive,” he said.

Although basketball is not his favorite sport, he has still benefited from it, one main benefit being the friends he has made. “I’ve become really good friends with all my teammates throughout the years,” he said, specifically naming one of his closest friends, junior Andrew Keller.

Martin said that meeting friends through sports has made his high school experience better. “They have helped my high school years be way more fun, way more exciting, and helped me branch out,” he said. 

Martin’s favorite memory since starting to play at La Salle is the long bus rides to and from away games. “Sitting on an hour bus ride with Andrew Keller last year, having Anders [Bergler] on it this year, it is just so funny,” he said. “[It’s] always a good time.”

Even though Martin does not want to play sports in college at the competitive level, he sees himself playing on an intramural team.