PARADISE VALLEY– Emilio Martinez is Paradise Valley’s High School’s fearless cross country leader. Despite being homeschooled, he was destined for the role. 

Martinez is the only senior on the team. Three years ago, he was also its lone freshman. It wouldn’t be a surprise for a person facing those circumstances to keep to themselves and simply try to make it through the season. Instead, Martinez has taken on responsibilities well beyond what most students would consider throughout his high school career. 

As a captain since his junior season, and a midfielder on his club lacrosse team, Martinez has kept his poise as a dual sport athlete. And he’s always seeking out ways in which he’ll be outworking his rivals, which is why he said he started cross country in order to help him with lacrosse. 

Martinez’s drive doesn’t just apply to athletics, either, as he hopes to one day be a marine biologist. It’s a field which can be especially difficult to break into as a homeschooled student, given the necessity to work with other students and collaborate. 

Still, from the way he approaches any obstacle in his path, it’d almost appear as if the affably dubbed "lacrosse country athlete” relishes as much of a challenge as he can get. 

“We had to get him in a lab with other kids, where you have to share work and things like that,” said Deb Martinez, Emilio’s mother. With full intent to attend a public university, Martinez’s family said his hard work has prepared him for any adjustment period that comes as a result of transitioning from homeschooling to college life. 

“He’s really good about remembering things, and so he just knows what to do,” his mom said. 

Across all of his interests, Martinez’s leadership and confidence to get things done stands out as a very apparent constant. 

“He’s out there pushing himself at meets, and that’s where his coaches and teammates come in, when he needs encouragement,” said Steve Martinez, Emilio’s father. 

As his primary focus is in lacrosse, Martinez isn’t always at the very front of races, nor is he matching the classic “chase pack” that inevitably follows that initial group.

Caught between those packs, running by himself, pushing himself, is when Martinez can finally reap the benefits of the team for which he has contributed so much. When racing alone, competitive motivation is harder to come by, making it more difficult to stay on pace. He’s then receiving encouragement from his team, something which as captain is so much more often his responsibility to dish out. 

To add to his leadership credentials,  Martinez spends his Sundays, after racing and attending practice the day prior, working all day as a lifeguard.

When asked about how he stays motivated through everything he's trying to accomplish, Martinez brought it all back to his greatest passion. 

“Lacrosse is a lot of fun, but it’s the most fun when you’re actually good at it,” Martinez said. 

That approach, that everything is more fun for someone if they’re good at it, is apparent throughout his many endeavors. His sports, his scientific pursuits and his desire to help others even on a day where not a soul would blame him for taking time to rest. 

Martinez’s ferocious approach is unique, he’s having fun with a schedule that could worry grown adults, and he’s been dominating for years. 

“He became captain because of his character, which is undescribably, unequivocally the best that society has to offer,” head coach Greg Hancock said. Given everything that Martinez has accomplished across his high school tenure, those words hold zero exaggeration within them.