6 Things you didn’t know about Dylan Martinez

Puppy Bribery-When Dylan was seven his dad told him if he wrestled he would get him a puppy. “I never got that puppy,” Dylan said. To this day,  he still hangs on to that. Martinez said he tried to quit after he did not get the puppy but his dad, Pablo Martinez, kept him in the sport.

Aiming High-Like every wrestler, Dylan’s goal for high school was to go to state and come out a state champion and this year is his last chance. Last year, Dylan lost by one in the finals and he was devastated. Dylan said, “It was just like right there so you just keep pushing and work harder.” Dylan Martinez is a motivated kid and he will work as hard as he needs to this year to go to state and come home a state champion.

The Old Music- When asked what kind of music Martinez listened to before a match,  he responded with “Tupac and Biggie, the old music.” Specifically Dylan said, “California Love” by Tupac Shakur. Also before a match Dylan prays.

Air Force-In November, Dylan committed to the Air force Academy for college. What helped Dylan’s decision to commit he said was, “It fits me, it has always been important to me to serve my country, also it has very good education, plus I can wrestle at D1 level.

Coach Martinez-“He is my inspiration, he is always pushing me to better than I am and to be the best I could be. He does not expect anything less, like with my grades. I am who I am because of him, I would not have the work ethic I have without Pablo. Dylan looks up to his father, not just as a coach, but also as a wrestler.  His dad wrestled in high school and in college he was All-American.

Injury-All great wrestlers get injuries at one point or another and Dylan’s injury happened to be last spring. Dylan, his junior year had to get surgery on his knee. He was at the Virginia Nationals and he wrestled in a match that led to him having to get surgery on his meniscus.