Dr. John Martin coached the Winona State swim team to three Northern Intercollegiate Conference (NIC) championships and six top-ten finishes at the NAIA National Championship during as head coach from 1963-70 and again during 1973-74. Martin’s teams never suffered a losing season in dual-meet competition and three of his swimmers earned first team All-American honors.
Coach Martin was inducted into the NAIA Swimming Hall of Fame in 1977 for his work as president of the NAIA Swimming Coaches’ Association, as chairman of the NAIA swimming rules and sites committee, and for his long tenure as a referee of NAIA national competition in swimming and diving. He was inducted in the Winona State Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Minnesota Swimming and Diving Coaching Associations Hall of Fame in 2014.
Martin also made an impact in international swimming and diving coaching and governing leadership as he was selected as the small college representative on the United States Olympic Committee for two full terms, covering two Olympiads. During his more then 10 years on the committee Martin served as team selection committee and general oversight and was also appointed U.S.A. assistant team coach during the 1973 World Student Games held in Moscow.
Martin also served as a member of the AAU Swimming Committee and was a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame Board of Directors.
In addition to coaching swimming, Martin served as an assistant football coach for the Warriors for 28 years and was head coach during the 1986 season. During his distinguished tenure at the University, he served as Chairman of the Health, Physical and Recreation Department.
Martin earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and his Ph.D. from the University of Utah. He began his career at Winona State in 1963, retiring in 1994.
Coach Martin has been married to Mia Martin for 55 years and credits his wife and three daughter’s Siri, Kristi and Jeni for his coaching and teaching success. All three daughters were high school letterman swimmers and his wife Mia was the operational key support behind hundreds of swim meets, travel schedules and team dinners. Since retirement, John and Mia remain active and enjoy time with their five grandchildren, golfing and relaxing at their Wisconsin cabin. Martin, a native of Racine, Wis., formulated much of his coaching mentorship from Vince Lombardi and his quest to find and foster excellence in athletes.