Former Winona State swimming coach John Martin.
Former Winona State swimming coach John Martin was inducted into the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Hall of Fame in July.
Martin coached the Winona State swim team to three Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) championships and six top-ten finishes at the NAIA National Championship as head coach from 1963-70 and again during 1973-74. Martin’s teams never suffered a losing season in dual-meet competition and three of his swimmers earned first team All-American honors.
Martin was inducted into the NAIA Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977 for his work as president of the NAIA Swimming Coaches’ Association, as chairman of the NAIA swimming rules and sites committee, and for his long tenure as a referee of NAIA national competition in swimming and diving. He was inducted in the Winona State Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Minnesota Swimming and Diving Coaching Association Hall of Fame in 2014.
In addition to coaching swimming, Martin served as an assistant football coach for the Warriors for 28 years and was head coach during the 1986 season. During his distinguished tenure at the university, he served as Chairman of the Health, Physical Education and Recreation Department.
A note to Currents magazine readers:
The fall issue of Currents will arrive in mailboxes soon. Within the issue is an article on Coach John Martin. It is with heavy hearts that we learned of Coach John Martin’s passing September 8, 2014, having lost his battle with cancer. Coach Martin was 81.
Coach Martin’s career at Winona State University began in 1963 and he retired in 1993. Known mostly as “Coach,” John loved and respected his many swimmers and football players as sons of his own, who appreciated his humor and life lessons he taught. At WSU, he served as Professor, HPER Department Chair, Head Swimming Coach and Assistant Football Coach.
A highlight of his coaching career was his appointment to the U.S.A. Olympic Committee for two Olympiads and was selected U.S.A. assistant coach during the 1973 World Student Games held in Moscow. John is a WSU, NAIA, NSIC and Minnesota Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame Inductee.
