Fernando Martinez closes out his time at CEU
“Wow, it’s going to be a long two years in such a small town,” was Fernando Martinez’s first reaction to Price, Utah.
He has good reason to have such a thought cross his mind when he came into Price, since he is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He attended Hillcrest High School, where he played on the baseball team.
This archived article was written by: Brianna Johnson
“Wow, it’s going to be a long two years in such a small town,” was Fernando Martinez’s first reaction to Price, Utah.
He has good reason to have such a thought cross his mind when he came into Price, since he is from Idaho Falls, Idaho. He attended Hillcrest High School, where he played on the baseball team.
Martinez’s coach helped him look into several schools, and the College of Eastern Utah was one. Coach Madsen also called him, asking him to play for CEU’s team. Martinez decided to play on the men’s team as pitcher because it was close to home and he had several friends who also played on the team.
While attending CEU, Martinez thoroughly enjoyed his criminal justice classes, the corrections class in particular. He decided that he would like to pursue a career in the field of criminal justice, maybe in a law enforcement department. Where baseball is concerned, if he was offered to the opportunity to play professionally, he would take it. He would play for “anyone who picks me up.” He hopes that in 10 years for now he will be playing in the big leagues. His favorite team is the Boston Red Sox.
Martinez is undecided where he will attend after he graduates from CEU in May, but most likely will attend Utah Valley College. He believes that attending a two-year school was good for him to learn more, get help and easier to move on from. He believes that CEU has prepared him for the next level.
Reflecting back, Martinez says that he has been playing since he was “four or five, since I could pick up a bat.” His dad played in high school and that is who taught him to play, he is also his role model that he looks up to.
His favorite memory of playing baseball occurred during his senior year. He was able to pitch game one at state baseball. He struck out about nine players and his team won 2-1.
When asked about his coaches, Martinez replied, “I really like them. They’ve all taught me a lot.”
As far as favorites go, Martinez loves the Birthday Cake Remix ice cream at Coldstone Creamery. He likes Reese’s peanut butter cups, the color blue, the movie Dumb & Dumber, hip hop and punk rock music, and loves dogs, any breed, but particularly likes pit bulls.
Martinez laughingly replied, “I’m married,” when asked what sets him apart from his teammates. He offered another modest reply of, “I don’t know really, I’m a good pitcher … I don’t know.”
Martinez says he is a hard worker, good baseball player and enjoyed being with his friends at school. His accomplishments are living by himself without his parents and graduating. But all who know him are expecting more to come.
