Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Sean Rocca

For The Washington Daily News

Bryan Martinez is a 19-year-old soccer player who played at Washington High School. He now plays for Greenville United FC, a semi-professional soccer team.

He does not get paid to play but he hopes one day he will. His dream is to go pro, and he believes if he keeps working hard and learning from other players and coaches, he will get there.

“You have to be like a sponge,” Martinez said. “I am constantly absorbing information and listening to advice from everyone around me. You also have to be disciplined and help others improve their game.”

He began playing at age four with the Optimist Club, which is the main youth soccer league in Washington. He fell in love with the game and combined with support and encouragement from his parents, he continued to play.

It soon became a passion for him and he began playing in a travel league through middle and high school. Now he plays for Greenville United in the summer and will play at Chowan University in the upcoming fall.

Coming into Chowan, he started as a midfielder but his coach switched him to the wing. His primary job is to support the offense and defense. He doesn’t get a lot of goals, but he gets a lot of assists. He said his position is called “the architect” as it is his job to give the striker a chance to score.

At WHS, he said one of his favorite moments was being hand selected as a team captain by his coach for his senior year. He said it was a great moment, and he was proud to be selected by his coach. He also said he loves participating in camps by teaching the next generation.

“I love training kids. Seeing them learn the skills and the basics makes me happy. I love seeing them learn and it is a great way for me to give back to the community.”

While playing for Greenville United, Martinez said he has learned a lot from the different players he has played with and against. “There are so many different people in this game and that has helped me see some different cultures,” Martinez said.

“For example, I have played against people from Ghana. They play with a more technical focus while here in the U.S., it is more physical so it is interesting to see the different cultures in the game.”

He said it has been a journey so far and it has been full of struggles and hardships but he believes this had made him a better person. He said the game is more mental than physical and playing has helped develop his character.

His parents have always encouraged him, his father Noel Martinez said his mentality is exceptional.

“My son doesn’t try to get better; he tries to be the best. He has always wanted to be the best and if he keeps working hard, he will get there. I am extremely proud of him and I can’t wait to see him continue playing,” Martinez said.