Martin's influence still here

JEREMIAH BARTZ/ Frontiersman sports editor

It has been more than four years since Chuck Martin has led a basketball team from the Mat-Su Valley onto a court. But his influence is still here.

One of the most notable figures in the history of Valley prep hoops, Martin won nearly 300 games, two state championships and led three different programs to a combined 12 state tournaments. In 14 years of coaching in the area, he helped put Valley hoops on the Alaska basketball map. And now as Martin is busy at the collegiate level, some of those he coached and coached alongside are keeping Valley hoops on that map.

Two Valley boys basketball programs earned state tournament berths this season, and both of those teams are led by coaches who served on a Martin staff during his time in the Valley. Colony head coach Jeff Bowker was one of Martin's assistants at CHS for six years. One of Bowker's assistants, Tom Berg, played for Martin during his high school career. Wasilla head coach Jason Marvel spent a year on Martin's staff at WHS before becoming his successor. And those are just a few examples.

Bowker said Martin has been a big influence in his coaching career. Many years later, Bowker still uses some of the same basic offensive principles that were prominent during the Martin era at CHS. But it goes beyond that.

&#8220The things he emphasized. They way he ran a program,” Bowker said.

Martin's prodigies share the passion he did.

&#8220Chuck put an unbelievable amount of time (into basketball),” Bowker said.

Even when Martin watches a basketball game on television, Bowker said, he has pencil and paper in hand, eager to learn something

new.

His passion for the game also extended to a strong relationship with his players and supporters of the basketball programs. And those people still support Valley hoops.

&#8220We have boosters who are still around today, just because of him,” Bowker said.