Mequon sports trainer teaching the next generation skills for on and off the court
MEQUON, Wis (CBS 58) - Hidden just off W. Donges Bay Rd. in Mequon is the Martin Skills Academy, a warehouse transformed into a multi-sport training facility.
“Martin Skills Academy basically was born because I was looking for an opportunity to work with kids,” owner and operator Chris Martin said.
Martin coached for several years, before he decided to switch over to personal training.
“I really just wanted the opportunity to help these kids achieve their dreams,” Martin said. “What I realized was that these kids have all the talent in the world but sometimes they didn’t know the why behind the what.”
Martin not only focuses on improving skills but also teaching kids valuable lessons that they can use off the court.
“I like to teach them leadership during the sessions because if you can be a leader on your team that’s great, you’re going to be on the floor,” Martin said. “If you can be a leader in society, even better because now you’re really helping move things forward.”
On top of teaching on and off the court skills, Martin likes to focus on the athletes who may be having trouble at the school level and transform their sports careers.
“Some of them were bench players, some of them were fringe players just trying to make the team and I felt like I could get them to make the team and enhance their skillset,” Martin said. “I want to be able to see them grow and really be able to achieve their goals.”
Mae Reese, Aidan Bonner, and Jackson Martin have all spent years training under Martin.
Reese is going into her freshman season at Germantown HS and says she is coming off a below average season.
“It wasn’t really my best, but Coach Chris really boosted my confidence,” Reese said. “He’s probably one of my favorite coaches.”
Aidan Bonner was on the 6th grade C team when he started working with Martin, now he’s headed into his junior year at Germantown HS and will be on the varsity team.
“After working with Chris all this time, he helped get my skills up, get my confidence up and helped me become a better player overall,” Bonner said. “I feel like my overall mental game has progressed and I’ve become a better person on and off the court, a better leader.”
Jackson Martin is Martin’s son and has been training with him the longest and feels ready that he can excel in his upcoming sophomore season at Germantown HS.
“It feels like I can do anything in basketball, and I can finally be a starter and be like a really good player,” Jackson Martin said.
Coach Chris Martin says seeing the kids improve on the court is awesome but seeing them improve as people is what it’s all about.
“Through their hard work and my guidance, I’m watching them be successful on the court and be successful off the court,” Martin said. “When these kids are able to call me up or see me at the next practice and say coach I made the team, it makes me extremely happy for them.”