Dr. Jay Martin and his Ohio Wesleyan team went on an amazing journey this season, which culminated with a National Championship on Sunday.The story to get there was amazing, and a tremendous tribute to Martin's ability to keep his players focused on the process and to not get distracted when adversity struck during the week leading to the Final.
Andrew Das of the New York Times wrote of this improbable story line that led to Martin's 608th career victory and Division III National Title.
Ohio Wesleyan beat Calvin, 2-1, on Saturday night in San Antonio to win the N.C.A.A. Division III national championship. The title was the second for Ohio Wesleyan and its coach, Jay Martin, who earned his 608th career victory in the final. That set a record for the most wins by any coach at any level in college men’s soccer.
But the championship, and the milestone, do not begin to tell the story of the Battling Bishops’ week in Texas.
Ohio Wesleyan arrived in San Antonio on Wednesday, and the first thing the players and coaches did was head out for a meal. While they ate, someone broke into the team’s two rented vans, which were parked outside the restaurant. Less than an hour after leaving the airport, they had lost everything from their soccer balls to their homework.
Among the items stolen were 15 laptop computers belonging to the players, wallets, clothes, practice gear, soccer shoes, uniforms and other personal items.
An Ohio Wesleyan sports information director was scheduled to bring down extra uniforms Thursday, and Trinity (Texas), the host school for the championship, loaned the Ohio Wesleyan players shoes, soccer balls and cones for practice.
It will be up to the San Antonio Police Department to find the other items that are not so easily replaced.
“Two of my guys were crying because all their projects and work for finals next week were on their computers that were stolen,” Martin said. “I immediately called our president and the dean of students. They said they will contact all their professors to tell them about the potential problem. They are very supportive. We want to take the academic pressure off them as quickly as we could.”
Trinity Coach Paul McGinlay, who previously coached at Wooster, a conference rival of Ohio Wesleyan’s, stepped in to help the visitors prepare for their semifinal against Montclair State. While McGinlay opened up his equipment closet, tournament organizers came up with gifts for the Bishops to hand out at a Special Olympics clinic that the teams held Thursday; the pens, pencils and keychains that the Bishops had brought from Ohio were among the items stolen from the vans.
“It is a small world,” said McGinlay, who has known Martin for 25 years. “Twenty-one years ago Jay wrote my reference for the Trinity job. I’ve been here ever since. He is a good friend, and I will do whatever I can to help him and his team.”
Martin took things from there, guiding Ohio Wesleyan to two victories that seemed the furthest thing from their minds on Wednesday. He and his team will travel home a lot prouder, if a little lighter. And Martin will be praised for a coaching job that went above and beyond the call only days after all (or at least some) seemed lost.
“My message to our guys is: all that stuff is material, and they will get it back eventually,” Martin had said Friday. “But this experience is something they will have forever one way or the other.”
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