LEAVING A LEGACY: GCM's Martinez Ready to Write Final Chapter of Storied Career
Zoe Martinez, GCM
WHEN ZOË MARTINEZ WALKED INTO THE HALLS OF GOOSE CREEK MEMORIAL, SHE PASSED BY THE RECORD BOARD. IT WAS A PLACE SHE STOPPED AND ENVISIONED WHAT HER CAREER COULD BE.
"I just pushed myself so hard since my freshman year," Martinez said. "I walked in, and I looked at the record board. It was my time and I wanted to make my name known at the school."
Four years later, Martinez has done just that through her play on the volleyball court and during the summer playing sand volleyball.
In her sophomore season, she first etched her name onto the record board in career aces and single season aces. Her junior year it was the career assists record that fell. Now, as a senior she wants to bolster those numbers and take down the single-season assists record.
But in the spring, her senior season was in jeopardy.
While teaching middle school players on the sand volleyball court, she jumped up to serve like she had a thousand times before, but this time felt a pop in her left knee.
The next day when Martinez woke up, the pain she felt signaled to her that something was wrong. In fact, she had a tear in her meniscus, which required surgery.
"I thought that was it," Martinez said. "I was scared for my senior year, but I knew I had a few months to recover. I was in between 'I should be fine' and 'OK, what happens if it is really bad'."
Doctors would go in and just shave off some of her meniscus muscle, which was bigger than normal, which would help in her recovery. The recovery process went swift as she was already walking out of the gate.
In mid-July, Martinez was cleared to return to volleyball activities, which included beach. She and her partner played in a few tournaments and qualified for Beach Nationals in Florida, where they performed well.
Being full-go for her senior year has excited Martinez as she looks to bolster those records for younger sister Ava — who enters the 7th grade this year — to one day chase and put the final touches on her Patriots' volleyball legacy.
"I want them to remember the energy I leave on the court and just the passion I have for volleyball," Martinez said.
