Interview by Carl Frederick
Interview by Carl Frederick
Penn Manor finally broke through in one of the most competitive leagues and sections in the state last season. They finished 5-5 for the first time in over 7 seasons and return several key starters for 2022. One of them is two time All-Section Offensive Lineman Jordan Martin, this versatile lineman plays multiple positions for the Comets, wreaking havoc on both sides of the ball. Martin stopped by to talk about his college aspirations, his team’s season outlook and a fun fact about the big-man:
Carl Frederick: You were a part of Penn Manor’s first non-losing season in 7 years, how do you all build from that?
Jordan Martin: Our program’s motto is Tough People Win and when we as a team take on that mindset we just continue to build on that. That means taking the wins/losses and learning from every situation during games and practices. Having a 5-5 season gave us A bitter sweet feeling knowing we were better than that. This off season we have gained the confidence we needed as a team to keep on improving. Penn Manor football has always been under-looked by every school…people are gonna start to realize that we are the real deal now.
CF: Being a two-time all league selection must have gotten you some attention from College programs, anyone school in particular stand out?
JM: I have had colleges reach out but I’m still undecided at this point. I want to go to college for the academic fit (criminal justice)as well as the football program so I’m still searching for the best fit for me.
CF: When we spoke with Coach Brubaker prior to last season, he talked about the challenges the Comets had with all the school construction, has that gotten any better in terms of your off-season training?
JM: It has been challenging for a couple of years. When I played at the jr high level we had to relocate practice to an elementary school so it impacted the whole program in some way. Again, it’s a mindset and we dealt with the challenges. We will have a brand new weight room and turf field by next month and that will be very beneficial.
CF: Give us your thoughts on the Berks County merger that takes place starting this season?
JM: I don’t believe the merger will affect us as much as the smaller sections. We added Reading and Daniel Boone to our schedule this year so I’m excited for the new competition.
CF: Tell our audience something we do not know about Jordan Martin?
JM: In 5th grade I competed in the Punt, Pass, kick Competition and was able to attend a Philadelphia Eagles game and be on the field with the players for free as I placed 1st in many competitions.
Martin is a tough as they come and will continue to maul his opponents regardless of what league they are in. For him and the Comets to break finally break over 500 it will take that along with continue progression among his fellow teammates. Having to face the likes of Wilson, Hempfield and Manheim Township every season certainly makes that challenging, look for Martin and company to be right in the thick of the playoff race.