Gallatin News
GALLATIN WEATHER

Cade, Ty solidify Martin legacy





Cade and Ty Martin share a moment with assistant head coach Brett Thaler during the 2021 season. ZACH WOMBLE

Cade and Ty Martin share a moment with assistant head coach Brett Thaler during the 2021 season. ZACH WOMBLE

Since the 1980s, the Martin name has been synonymous around Gallatin, earning their stripes in the dirt and on the hardwood representing Gallatin High School with the utmost class.

Earning the G is not something that anyone can obtain; in fact, it’s earned through years of commitment to the green and gold.

What the Martins have acquired over 30 years will carry on long after the final Martin boy walks across the graduation stage in 2022.

For all the talk of how different Cade and Ty Martin are, they share one similarity passed down from their dad Troy, who also Earned the G before graduating in 1988.

“They all have an intense desire to win,” Gallatin baseball coach Mark Wilson said, who coached all three during his tenure at GHS. “They hold themselves to a very high standard, and I think that is what has made them all so successful.”

Ask anyone associated with Gallatin High School, and they will tell you the Martin legacy is set in stone. They are a family of hard-working individuals that always gave everything they had to Gallatin High School. Still, Cade, a rising senior and the last Martin to walk the halls at GHS, says he wants a legacy that is remembered for a lifetime.

Cade Martin. ROBERT SMITH

Cade Martin. ROBERT SMITH

“I hope I have earned the G through the hard work I have put in for the school,” Cade said. “For me, it’s a big thing to take pride in being a Green Wave, being a part of the Gallatin family. I want to be remembered as someone who was great in the community and gave everything I had every game. I want everyone to know the Martin boys had so much fun playing for Gallatin.”


Facing adversity


2021 Gallatin graduate Ty Martin had his share of adversity during his four years wearing the green and gold, but his commitment to his school and his family have given him at least two more seasons of playing the family game they all love.

“It’s been a journey,” Ty said. “It’s been really fun having my brother beside me every step of the way. He is the only person who can push me to my limit and, in a sense, is a big reason why I can move on to play college baseball.”

Ty Martin. ROBERT SMITH

Ty Martin. ROBERT SMITH

Added brother Cade on Ty’s signing day:

“That was a big time in my life because that is what we had been working for,” he said. “I knew it was a relief to him, but seeing him succeed and sign to Roane was just awesome — he deserved this, and I know he will do the best he can while there to make sure he earns his spot.”

The older Martin signed to continue his baseball career at Roane State Community College, and while the talent has always been there, the future looked uncertain only 16 months ago.

“I remember coming to a stop and felt a pop in my knee,” Ty said. “I tried to do a stutter step, and it just wasn’t happening, so I got an MRI the next day and found out I tore my ACL.”

Ty admits the road to recovery wasn’t the easiest, particularly the timeline, as he expected to be fully functional after seven months.

“It hit home once I got the papers back,” he said. “I knew it would be a long process, but I wasn’t prepared for it to take that long. Cade was there for me when I needed him and have him to thank for helping me get to where I felt comfortable out there.”


Return to action


Ty Martin made his come back in a Green Wave uniform this past winter playing for head coach Bobby Luna on the basketball court with his brother Cade.

“I took a ton of pride in getting back for the season,” Ty said. “I accomplished a lot during my time at Gallatin, I wish we could have accomplished more as a team, but I’m happy with my four years.”

Added baseball coach Mark Wilson on getting Ty back for his senior campaign:

“Getting Ty back for his senior year was tremendous,” he said. “Ty was one of our leaders this past season and we needed him.”

Cade and Ty have shared countless memories at Gallatin, but one that will forever stand out happened this past spring during the Green Wave’s baseball season.

Traveling to Beech for a huge District 9-AAA contest, the Wave and Bucs were locked in a battle late in the game.

With Cade on second, Ty walked to the plate to face off against University of Tennessee signee Chase Burns.

“Ty hit hard balls all season long, but they always seemed to go right towards the defense,” Cade recalled. “I was on second, and when he stepped to the plate, I knew he was going to get it done. As soon as the ball left the bat, I knew it would land. That was a big part of our season as a team and a great moment with Ty. To do it off Chase Burns makes it 100 times better.”

Experiencing that moment together will always stay with Cade for many reasons, but helping his brother get back to experience moments like those will stay with him forever.

“We worked and worked and worked to get him back and ready for his last season at Gallatin,” Cade said. “I knew he wanted to play college baseball, so that was our focus the entire time. I knew I had to support him and be there for him. I was happy to experience the entire journey with him.”

Life without each other

133 miles will separate the two Martin brothers for the first time in their lives. They won’t have one another to lean on during the highs and lows. It will take some getting used to.

“It’s going to be hard without Cade,” Ty said. “Since we’ve started playing sports, he has been there. It will be hard for someone to fill those shoes because they are huge shoes to fill. There won’t be another person I connect with like that.”

Added Cade that it isn’t just Ty that will miss his brother next season.

“We always helped each other out because we knew we had to be there for each other,” Cade said. “It was great having him beside me these past few years in high school. Ty pushed me to be better and I will miss having that around.”

Now that Cade will have the halls to himself as the last Martin remaining, he says his senior year is about taking the next step.

“I haven’t decided on which sport I want to play in college, but I know that I am going to give it everything I have,” he said. “I love both sports, but it’s in our blood to play baseball.”

Leave a Reply