Con Ed Award: Dedication pays off for Martin

Con Ed Award: Dedication pays off for Martin
By Anthony Malakian
The Journal News
Con Ed Award winner
Name: Ryan Martin
School: Hen Hud
Year: Senior
Birthdate: June 6, 1989
Sport: Wrestling
Other sports: Lacrosse and cheerleading
Likes: Hiking, playing bass clarinet and simplifying things.
Dislikes: Clutter and disorganization.
Future plans: I want to serve my country in active duty and possibly go into medicine or politics

Wrestling practice at Hen Hud begins at 2:45 p.m.

This is the time when senior Ryan Martin shows what's made him an excellent candidate to become a West Point cadet.

Martin has received an early letter of assurance that West Point will reserve a spot for him as long as he passes a medical exam, which is administered by the Department of Defense Medical Exam Review Board.

Martin shouldn't have any problems with the final test, especially since he passed the other physical and academic tests he has been put through by West Point.

He also shows how physically fit he is in practice, alongside co-captains Kevin Sarles and Shane Turrone. It's a work ethic which has filtered down to the younger kids.

"Us three, we run the cool downs," said Martin, the Con Edison Athlete of the Week. "We really ask a lot of them to push it that extra mile."

His coach, Dennis Wolownik, said that at the end of practice, he blows his whistle and turns the practice over to the kids. If Martin wanted to, he could go easy because after all, this is supposed to be a "cool down" period.

Instead of taking a break, the captains pick things up a notch and the younger kids follow suit without question.

"He really wants to leave a mark on the young kids, to show them what it takes to be a great wrestler," Wolownik said. "He tries to show the kids how to go about things, more by example than by screaming."

The dedication he has shown has more than paid dividends. Going into yesterdays's and today's divisionals, Martin is only four victories from passing Anthony Alberti's school record of 107 career victories.

While the record means a lot to Martin, he is especially proud to achieve so much for Hen Hud.

"I have a lot of pride in my school and I am glad that I can leave a lasting impression," Martin said. "It's great to be remembered at a school that I really like."

Once at West Point, Martin is hopeful that he will have the opportunity to continue his wrestling career.

He will also be studying medicine and/or political science.

"The workings of the human body and government and legislature are what I am most interested in," Martin said.

At Hen Hud he has carried an unweighted average of 88.8 and earned a 1980 on his SATs. Martin is enrolled in three advanced placement classes: Spanish, biology, literature, as well as pre-calculus and participation in government.

As far as what drew him to West Point, Martin points to the organization of Army.

"The more I looked into West Point, the more I liked it," Martin said. "I liked the ideology. It was a lot more of a moral place than other campuses, and it would be a lot more structured."

The Con Edison Athlete of the Week recognizes students in Westchester and Putnam schools who excel athletically. Academic achievements, leadership, citizenship, school and community activities are also factors. The winner is selected each week by a panel of athletic directors, coaches and Journal News sports writers who review ballots submitted by each athlete's athletic director or coach.