Martinez Family And Business, All For One And One For All

“Field of Dreams” is considered to be one of the best baseball movies of all time, and it was built on the premise that if you build it, they will come. For most baseball enthusiasts, this is simply a Hollywood story that was dreamt up by an imaginative writer. For the Martinez family, however, this movie has become the story of their lives.

Tommy Martinez was a promising baseball player coming out of Miami-Dade North back in the early 80s. This story easily could have been about a local player who was drafted by the Cleveland Indians and went on to become a star in the major leagues. That may have been the case had Martinez not torn his ACL only 18 games into his professional career. Although this hardship was not the end of his playing career, it did lead to where he and his family are today.

The Martinez family saga begins with Tommy coming back home and rehabbing his injury. While not playing, Martinez was approached by some local players who wanted to learn a little bit about hitting. Almost 30 years later, Martinez has become one of the top hitting instructors in Broward County, and his reach spans into professional dugouts all across the country.

Back in 1991, Martinez made an offer on a house out in Western Broward. At the time, the area had hardly been developed. The elderly lady who was selling the house, located on four acres of property, gave the estate up to Martinez for $150,000 (currently valued at more than $1 million). Although most people were buying this type of land for farming, Martinez had another idea: Turn it into the modern day Field of Dreams.

When we arrived at the Martinez house, it looked like any other that can be found in West Broward. After parking outside of a fence suitable to keep horses from straying, Martinez greeted us. He took us through a side gate, and that is where the magic was found. We quickly realized this was no ordinary yard. Instead, Martinez was leading us along the first-base side of an outdoor infield, equipped with lights. Two dugouts are in place, in what can only be described as the ultimate wiffle ball field. Only on this field is where thousands of players over the years have perfected their skills.

The Martinez Baseball Academy was born on this infield, and behind the field, after passing a basketball court, is where Martinez has worked with Broward County athletes over the years –an indoor batting cage and an indoor gym. It is anything that any ballplayer dreams of having in their yard. For Martinez’s six children, this was the place they have called home.

Regressing back to the beginning, this is a story about perseverance. Tommy and his wife of 24 years, Janice, not only have had to overcome the injury that ended Martinez’s major league dreams, but also a much bigger loss, the loss of a child. Baby Madelyn, as the Martinez family calls her, was born with anencephaly, the most severe form of spina bifida. She fought and fought, but eventually God had a bigger plan for Madelyn. The fighting spirit that she showed, was what the Martinez family has built their lives around.

Jocelyn, the 22-year-old daughter of Tommy and Janice, has grown up with one sister and four brothers. Jocelyn was one of the first Martinez children to be led by Tommy’s love of athletics. Jocelyn played soccer on the boys’ soccer team at Florida Bible, back when Tommy and Janice were teaching at the school. It is in Jocelyn where Madelyn’s inspiration can be seen.

“I pushed myself to be the best I could be,” said Jocelyn, when asked what her parents had taught her growing up. “My parents always stressed to never give up and to erase the word ‘can’t’ from my vocabulary. The Martinez’s are not quitters.”

Jocelyn’s sister, Angel, the youngest of the Martinez bunch at 14, also is a standout athlete, playing volleyball at Sagemont. For Angel, growing up around four boys, sports was ever-present, but Angel claims that her parents did not force her into volleyball.

“Not really, since I grew up with it” she said, when asked whether her parents pushed her towards sports. “I think I started getting into it on my own, and my parents just always remind me to be a team player and to be coachable.”

The non-quit attitude can be seen in Tommy’s experiences after leaving the Indians organization. In 1983, Martinez played what would be the first of three years in Italy. He became at the time, the first U.S. player to win the Triple Crown in the Italian professional league, Papa Barzetti Riminy. At this time, Martinez developed key skills in coaching that he is using today as a hitting instructor and head coach at Sagemont. He developed these skills as a coach for the Italian Junior National team.

Upon coming back from Italy, Martinez coached at Miami-Dade Christian. In 1988, he started doing personal training, and in 1989, MBA was born. Twenty-one years later, not only is Martinez training players, but his family is involved with the family business.

The scheduling is done by Janice. The Team Martinez mom has also been responsible for helping her own children with their studies, and holding the family together through all of the hectic baseball activities. Of all the things that Janice has experienced over the years, it was seeing all of her boys and their father sit in the same dugout that stands out.

“My most favorite memory is when Tommy and all four boys were coaching or playing varsity baseball for Sagemont at the same time,” Janice said.

Tommy was the head coach, eldest son Thomas (27) was an assistant on the team, and Blake (19), Ashton (16), and Brynn (15) were all players on that team. The memory is not only Janice’s favorite, but also Blake’s.

“My junior and senior year when I had my two brothers playing with me, my older brother as an assistant coach, and my dad as a head coach,” said Blake, when asked his favorite childhood memory. “That was fun because it was like my whole family was on the team.”

Blake, the only player in Broward history to hit over .500 in all four years of high school, set a record with 47 stolen bases his junior season. He plays for Broward College, and when he’s not in school, he helps Tommy with MBA, training and teaching young players how to play the game.

Ashton and Brynn are prospects at Sagemont and have learned plenty about the game and life from their father. The father-son-coach relationship is always a tough one on the baseball field, and Ashton and Brynn have had their moments of being over-scrutinized by Tommy. But the payoff also has been present.

“The first time I hit my first high school home run, he [Tommy] didn’t have to say anything to me,” said Ashton. “I could see his excitement in his face, and he saw the same in mine.”

With Tommy being dad, coach and boss, sometimes the relationships can be strained. Ashton claims that in each instance, something different is expected.

“Dad the dad is able to play around with all of us. Dad the coach treats me the same as everyone else on the team and doesn’t give me any more or less than anyone else on the team. Dad the boss expects things to be done the way he has trained us since we were little.”

As for Brynn, he shows the family atmosphere surrounding the everyday life of a baseball family of eight. The youngest of four boys, Brynn relies not only on his dad for support, but also his mom.

“My mom helps me by taking me to games and practices, as well as helping me in school,” said Brynn, and of course, she “makes me food,” he said smiling.

Outside of his own family, Martinez has mentored some of the top players that have come out of Broward. Caleb Martinez was one of the top pitcher’s in the state when Tommy coached him at Florida Bible. In recent years, Martinez has worked with standout players such as Nick Castellanos, Brandon Sedell and Ryan Reyes.

Martinez is upgrading his facilities and has plans on continuing the Martinez Baseball Academy for as long as he is alive. His ultimate goal is to leave a legacy with the company, something his children can carry on.

So outside of the four acres on which his program was developed, what makes Tommy Martinez one of the best baseball minds in the county and what has kept his business alive after all these years?

“It is not about mass production, but instead about quality,” he said. “I want to get the kids to understand the ethics of the game and the mental approach of the game. The mental approach, or the psyche, plays a big role.”

As for a favorite saying, one that he spreads to the players that come through his program.

“Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. But if you believe you can, you will.”

It may not be, “If you build it, they will come,” but after creating his own personal Field of Dreams for many a Broward ballplayer, Tommy Martinez has earned the right to spread a personal message. Although the general public may not know his work, the players who have had the privilege of working with Martinez understand the value he has brought to the game and their lives.

Blake may have echoed the sentiments of not only Tommy’s children, but other players who have learned about life and baseball at MBA.

“I trust my dad in everything I do. Whenever I’m in a situation or not sure exactly what to do, I always ask him, and I know whatever he tells me is in my best interest.”

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