Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Christian Martyn

Two-sport athlete Christian Martyn is a throwback athlete. Whether on the football gridiron or baseball diamond, Christian’s tenacity to win and give his best effort in whatever endeavor he is undertaking is immediately evident. As a two-way player for the Wolves this season, Christian has been a model of what it means to be a leader and player for the football program, which is why he is this week’s Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Christian started his football career for the Oswego Youth Tackle Football (OYTF) League at 6 years old where his dad was a coach. "I fell in love with the sport right from the start, and it’s been a big part of my life ever since," says Christian.

Jason Martyn, Christian’s dad, believes OE, and sports in general, have helped Christian mature into the person he is today, saying, "We believe sports are the third parent as it offers discipline, structure, leadership, teamwork, and organizational skills. OE has encouraged young athletes to adopt these attributes through their sports program."

Playing both offense and defense for the Wolves is an immense undertaking, but it is a challenge in which Christian has reveled. "Christian is one of the few athletes that plays both offense and defense, which is challenging physically and mentally," says defensive coordinator Dan Dubar. He goes on to say, "Christian has stepped up and played well on both sides of the ball, especially when we have needed him the most."

As a linebacker/safety and running back, Christian has been a workhorse for the Wolves. There is probably no better example than earlier this season against West Aurora, where the offense rode his back on 40 carries and 249 yards for a comeback win.

Christian’s strong play on both sides of the ball has been coupled with his leadership. "Christian’s teammates regard him as a leader because he will not allow himself to be outworked, he consistently strives to improve himself, and he makes others around him better through both his attitude and effort," says Dan.

Leadership is something that goes beyond just the football field as he applied as a sophomore to become a member of the IHSA student advisory committee. It is through this state-run program that Christian, and fellow student-athletes across the state, work to expand sportsmanship and leadership for all student-athletes. "We create videos and explain the importance of time management, leadership, and mental health, as well as working with the Special Olympics," says Christian.

Jason has witnessed how much the program has helped his son with his leadership skills, saying, "The student advisory committee has helped Christian develop leadership skills and how to teach prospective student-athlete leaders across the state how to become the best leaders possible. It has been nothing short of pure joy to watch him mentor other leadership prospects."

Christian is also a leader in the classroom, and his hard work and dedication have earned him a 4.22 GPA. Beth Jezyk, an English teacher at Oswego East, sees the same qualities that make Christian successful on the football field translated to the classroom, saying, "Christian is mature, kind, hard-working, and efficient. He has positive conversations with other students and consistently encourages them to better themselves. He completes his work with real integrity and asks smart and intuitive questions."

As a family, the Martyn’s are planning a move to Florida, and as of now, Christian’s tentative plan is to follow and attend Florida State University, majoring in computer science. "I’ve taken computer programming at OE and loved it, and it came really easy to me," says Christian. He goes on to say, "I spend my free time now programming and working with software, and my godfather is an IT manager and has helped me develop some of my skills."

Beth believes Christian’s strengths as both a student and person will see him succeed in computer science, saying, "Christian is the type of person who I can see succeeding at anything he endeavors to do. He has a really good head on his shoulders."

Although the Wolves will miss out on the playoffs this season, they have an opportunity tonight to play spoiler and keep their rivals out of the playoffs in their annual crosstown game vs. Oswego High School. As someone who is a model of consistency, both as a student and athlete, Christian advises future Wolves by saying, "Make sure to complete all of your work and you will find success. Effort will get you a lot further than you think." Christian’s efforts have earned him the distinction of student-athlete of the week and set him up for a bright future.