Former Palmer High boys coach to lead East Anchorage basketball program

PALMER — After three years as head coach of the Palmer High School boys’ basketball program, Chuck Martin has accepted the same position at East Anchorage High School.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Palmer. I have zero issues with the people at the school,” Martin said Wednesday evening.

Martin lauded the support of the Palmer High administration during his time at the helm of the boys’ basketball program. The chance to take the reins of the East program was a sudden opportunity that came together very quickly, Martin said.

“I was not necessarily looking for another job when this one came about,” Martin said. “Two weeks ago, I wasn’t looking for another job.”

Martin, a longtime basketball coach at the high school and collegiate levels, called it a new challenge.

“More so than anything else,” Martin said. “I’m coming to the twilight of my career.”

Martin said the chance to serve at the top of a storied basketball program such as East is attractive.

“For them to be interested in me is a privilege. I decided to take it and see what happens,” Martin said.

Martin said it was not an easy decision to make.

"I've really come to like and appreciate the next group of juniors and seniors we had coming up," Martin said. "That group has been in the gym every day since a week after the season was over."

Martin said that made the decision more difficult, but he couldn't pass up this type of opportunity late in his career.

During his three years with the Moose, Martin led Palmer to a Northern Lights Conference title in 2016. Palmer was a fraction of a percentage point shy of securing an at-large bid to the 2018 4A state tournament after finishing third in the NLC.

Martin’s career as a basketball coach spans more than three decades, with more than half that in the Valley. Martin spent a combined 17 seasons as a head coach a Houston, Colony, Wasilla and Palmer. He has more than 300 career wins in Alaska, and has led Valley teams to nine conference titles, 13 state tournament appearances and a pair of state titles.

He has earned NLC Coach of the Year honors three times and Alaska State Coach of the Year three times.

Martin also has more than a decade of experience coaching at the NCAA Division I and NAIA Division I levels. Before returning to Alaska four years ago, Martin spent eight years as the head coach of The Master’s College in California, finishing with a 131-118 record. Martin was also he associate head coach a Division I Liberty, where he helped guide the Flames to a Big South Conference title and trip to the NCAA tournament in 2004.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com