Marti Gives Up Cal Lutheran Football for <i> Futbol </i> and Lands on His Feet

As a football player for four seasons at Cal Lutheran, Robert Marti set some school records and was considered a good player. But he also suffered constant injuries and setbacks.

Maybe he was in the wrong sport.

A standout football and soccer player at Simi Valley High, Marti chose football at Cal Lutheran. As a freshman, he averaged 37 yards per kickoff return, good for a school record and third in the NAIA’s all-time rankings.

But because of injuries--he had knee surgery as a junior and hamstring problems last year--Marti’s playing time was limited, and he never became the player he was expected to be.

Enter Gary Jensen, soccer coach. He heard that Marti had been an All-Southern Section soccer player. He also heard that Marti would be attending Cal Lutheran for a fifth year to complete his degree requirements. Though Marti has completed his football eligibility, Jensen knew he could still play another year in a different sport. Marti was considering that possibility as well.

Jensen was merely looking for a good athlete with some experience to help a team made up largely of freshmen and sophomores. He may have uncovered a star.

Marti has led the Kingsmen to a 6-2-1 start and has scored nine goals to lead the NAIA District III in scoring.

“We sort of approached each other,” Jensen said. “I was aware of him because I had him in a physical education class. I noticed he was a very skillful player. I wondered how I let a guy like that slip away. Then I found out he played football.

“I knew he had a certain skill level, a lot of experience, a lot of gung-ho enthusiasm. I was really not aware of how good a player he was going to be. He was one of those athletes who just comes out of the woodwork.”

Jensen said Marti’s speed, agility and strength work for him in soccer, perhaps even better than in football. At about 170 pounds, Marti is also 10 pounds lighter than he was for football. Jensen thinks that is helping him avoid the injuries that plagued him in football.

“He’s still adjusting to the maturity of the game itself from his last level,” Jensen said. “He’s got speed, strength, the ability to take punishment--and give it. That’s what it takes up front when you’re fighting for the ball. He’s very physical.”

Marti teams with sophomore Peter Arreola, who also has nine goals, giving the Kingsmen a strong attack. Jensen said that Arreola is “probably the most skillful player who’s ever played at Cal Lutheran.”

Most of the team’s standout players are sophomores. Jensen calls his squad a team of the future. “Peter’s senior year should be the year we make noise,” he said, looking forward to 1988.

Meanwhile, the team is winning ahead of schedule and learning from Marti.

“Rob is probably going to be in there 90 minutes, or 110 if we go overtime,” Jensen said. “Rob can have a poor day and still be better than some of the starters out there because of his speed and intensity. I’m very proud to have him. We call him our senior-senior captain.”