Longtime Cowichan soccer coach Glen Martin is the recipient of the 2019-20 Albin & Georgina Falt Memorial Coaches’ Recognition Award.
The award honours coaches, who are often overlooked for the role they play, for their work with Cowichan Valley athletes and teams at all levels.
Martin, who just turned 60 last Tuesday, June 9, has put in a remarkable 28 consecutive years of coaching soccer – first, a dozen with his son Robbie’s teams in the youth ranks, and then the last 16 at the senior level. The first of those senior teams he coached was at the Div. 2 level, but after promotion, Cowichan has retained a team under his guidance for the last 15 in Div. 1 of the Vancouver Island Soccer League.
“It’s a real honour,” said Martin of the award. “It’s always nice be recognized. You always feel all the hard work you’ve done is recognized. Makes me feel good.”
Martin was inducted into the North Cowichan/Duncan Sports Wall of Fame in 2017 for both his athletic prowess in golf and soccer and his soccer coaching success.
Since the 2005-06 season, Cowichan LMG has won five league titles, with four Jackson Cup triumphs.
“We had a nice little run there – nine major awards,” noted Martin.
The team has actually appeared in seven Jackson Cup finals during that time, winning four and losing three.
The only goal, perhaps, that Martin feels has eluded him is the provincial championship. LMG made four provincial semifinal appearances, but missed qualifying for the final each time, including one heartbreaking loss on penalty kicks.
“That’s not a regret, I guess the only disappointment I have,” said Martin.
In his days as a youth coach, however, he led Cowichan youth teams to provincial titles in 2002 and ’04.
Martin is figuring he might coach one more season before ending his amazing tenure, but it all depends on the circumstances of COVID-19 that has put so much about amateur sports into doubt.
Martin has always been a great players’ coach, knowing just when to push the right buttons at the right time for maximum result.
He succeeds last year’s coaching award winner Sheron Chrysler of the CeeVACs Road Runners.
