Shortly after former Baker School boys basketball coach Gerald Martello passed away, a Baker resident suggested to me that the gym be named in honor of the Martello family.
It's not a bad idea, but strong cases could be made for others who have coached and played basketball or volleyball for the Gators.
Baker School's football stadium is named in honor of Doug Griffith, the school’s principal for several years, so a precedent has been set for naming the Gators' facilities.
'AMONG THE BEST ATHLETES'
Gerald Martello was a great coach and the patriarch of one of the leading families in Baker School athletic history. Each of his four children, three sons and a daughter, made their own marks on the school’s rich athletic tradition.
I never had the opportunity to see any of the Martellos play ball, but I understand they were among the best athletes to grace Baker's basketball court and athletic fields.
Many people have told me that Vince, the oldest Martello son, was the best basketball player in school history. Vince played college basketball at Auburn and Florida State. Sadly, he lost a fight with cancer at age 23.
Baker School Principal Mike Martello, the youngest sibling and former Baker boys basketball coach, recently told me he was the worst athlete in the family. He said older brother Chris and sister Tena were tremendous multi-sport stars in their own right.
Still, Mike was a third-team all-state football player and made the all-state tournament basketball team. He also was a four-sport letterman for the Gators. As a coach, Mike took the Gators to the playoffs five times.
'A TRICKY THING'
Deciding to name a facility after a family or individual is always a tricky thing. One could argue that Monty Russell was more successful as Baker's boys basketball coach than Gerald or Mike Martello.
If sheer success is a reason for naming the gym in a person’s honor, a strong case can be made for naming the court for Kathy Combest.Combest coached the Gator girls basketball and volleyball teams to numerous district championships and state final four appearances.
There are ways to accommodate several worthy candidates. The gym could be named for two of the coaches and the court could be named for the third.
The University of Tennessee plays basketball in Thompson-Boiling Arena and court is called “The Summitt” in honor of former Lady Vols Coach Pat Summitt.
Maybe Baker could name the gym something like Smith-Jones Gymnasium and the floor Taylor Court.
The biggest drawback I can see with any of the idea is that John Ensor coached the Gator football team to three state championships and Jeff Webb coached them to another football title and, to my knowledge, nothing on campus bears either of their names.
I would dare say, if asked, the Martello family would be humbled by the thought, whether it came to fruition or not.
Men and women who play and coach their games don’t do so thinking that one day something will be named for them. Athletes and coaches participate in their sports for the love of the game and everything else is icing on the cake.
Whether Baker's gym is one day named to honor the Martello family or not, I do believe there needs to be some way to pay tribute to a family that has given and meant so much to Baker School.
Email Randy Dickson at randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, tweet @BigRandle or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: A fitting honor for the Martellos