Dr. Jay Martin: More than a Coach, a Lasting Presence at OWU

At Ohio Wesleyan University, the name Dr. Jay Martin carries a lot of meaning. Even students who don’t follow soccer closely have heard about his impact. For decades, he led the OWU men’s soccer program for 47 years and built one of the most successful careers in college soccer history. Today, even after retiring from coaching, his influence is still strongly felt on campus.

Dr. Martin began coaching at OWU in the late 1970s and went on to become the winningest coach in NCAA men’s soccer history. His teams earned national respect year after year, including two NCAA Division III national championships(1998 & 2011). Generations of players passed through his program, many of them leaving not only as better athletes but also as more confident and disciplined people.

Because of everything he contributed to the program, the university named the Jay Martin Soccer Complex after him. For current students, that field is more than just a place to play games. It represents years of hard work, tradition, and pride connected to OWU soccer.

What makes Jay stand out, though, is not only what he accomplished on the field but also how he connects with students off the field. After stepping away from coaching, he continued teaching at OWU as a professor. In the classroom, he brings the same energy and experience that defined his coaching career.

Students in his classes get more than just textbook lessons. He often shares stories from his years of coaching, turning real-life situations into examples that make concepts easier to understand. His teaching style mixes learning with humor, creating an environment where students feel comfortable and engaged.

“His class is both fun and productive,” said OWU student Derrick Ntwari. “He shares real experiences from his coaching career, which makes the lessons easier to understand. There is always joy and laughter because of his jokes, and that makes learning feel natural. That balance of seriousness and enjoyment reflects the same mindset that helped him succeed as a coach. He pushes students to think and improve, but he also reminds them that growth can be positive and fun.

The idea is also clear in one of his books, Lessons from the Best Coach, which talks about building relationships and culture within a team or organization before focusing on winning. In his view, success comes naturally when trust, connection, and shared purpose are already in place.

Even though his coaching career has ended, his presence at OWU has not disappeared. It has simply moved from the sidelines to the classroom, where a new generation of students continues to learn that leadership starts with relationships and culture, and then that winning is something that follows.