Martinez Runs to Success : Track and field: San Gabriel High graduate has had to do things the hard way athletically and academically.

College coaches across the country wanted to offer distance runner Angel Martinez a scholarship.

But Martinez, who graduated from San Gabriel High last Wednesday, was scratched off many lists when coaches learned he was an academic risk.

His running accomplishments include state titles this year in cross-country and the 3,200-meter run in track and field. His 3,200 time of 8 minutes 56.34 seconds, set during the state meet two weeks ago at Cerritos College, is the best by a high school runner this season.

But Martinez was no star in the classroom and acknowledges that his graduation was in doubt until the last minute.

“I was a goof-off in junior high and during my first couple years of high school,” said Martinez, 18. “I was always arguing with the teachers and getting kicked out of class. I paid attention sometimes, but I seldom did the homework.

“I’ve had a lot of catching up to do the past couple of years.”

Maintaining eligibility was not easy for Martinez, who missed half of track season his sophomore year and all of cross-country as a junior.

He was eligible all year as a senior and graduated with a 2.0 grade-point average, but he never took the Scholastic Aptitude Test, required for admittance to a four-year university.

“I simply wasn’t ready for that yet,” he said. “I had to concentrate on just graduating. I had to live more of my life.”

Martinez, who finished fifth in the mile last weekend in the Keebler Invitational at Elmhurst, Ill., hopes to complete his fall plans in the next few weeks.

He is interested in attending Mount San Antonio Community College in Walnut, which has high-profile cross-country and track programs. The school is the site of major invitational meets in the fall and spring, and has one of the toughest cross-country courses in the country.

If Martinez is successful there, he plans to transfer to a four-year university.

Arizona Coach Dave Murray, whose men’s cross-country team won the Pac-10 last fall and finished fourth at the national meet, said he would welcome Martinez if he improves academically.

“I’ve been watching Angel for the past three years, and there’s no doubt he’s an outstanding runner,” Murray said. “But one of the first things I learned about him was that he was an academic risk, so I couldn’t recruit him. I know he could make an immediate impact on our team, so I hope we can sign him someday.”

Dave Medved, who coaches the distance runners at USC, said starting at a community college might be the best route for Martinez.

“At a place like USC, there are a lot of distractions for a freshman,” Medved said. “Angel obviously has a lot of talent on the track, but he needs some guidance in the classroom. Starting out small might help him establish that.

“Angel has a gift, and it can take him places if he does things right,” he said.

Martinez did not find out he was a gifted runner until his freshman year at San Gabriel. He tried to go out for the freshman football team, but at 119 pounds the coaches told him he was too small.

Cross-country Coach Michele Buchicchio talked Martinez into going out for her team, and in his first race (at Lacey Park in San Marino), he set a freshman course record.

“Sometimes Angel would show up to practice in jeans and high-tops,” Buchicchio said. “He showed a lot of talent, but not much dedication. He often wandered off to play basketball.

“Angel certainly was a project, but he is blessed with a lot of ability,” she said. “He’s grown up a lot in four years.”

Luckily for Martinez, Buchicchio had a strong background in running. The Alhambra High and Cal State Los Angeles graduate held the American record in the 400 hurdles in 1974 and qualified for the ’84 Olympic trials in the 800- and 1,500-meter runs.

Her knowledge, coupled with her personal interest in Martinez, helped transform him into a premiere distance runner.

Martinez made a name for himself as a sophomore, when he ran the 3,200 in 8:56.48. The mark, set at the Southern Section Masters Meet, was the fastest in the nation for his age group that season and one of the few instances when a sophomore has run under nine minutes.

He sat out the cross-country season as a junior, but finished third at the state meet in the 3,200 that spring.

Martinez’s senior campaign was his finest, especially considering he was faced with personal problems. His parents, Angel Sr. and Dolores, separated. He had a serious calf injury during cross-country and a recurring arch injury during track. Martinez also had to make up two English classes to graduate.

But running helped keep his mind off his problems, Martinez said. He has grown to 6 feet and 145 pounds, logs 40-45 miles a week and races whenever he can.

“I know running is going to take me places,” he said. “I really don’t think about my accomplishments that much. I know I just have to keep working.”

Martinez is the first in his family to graduate from high school, and he knows achievement will have to come from his own determination.

“No one at home pressured me to do the things I needed to do,” he said. “I’ve had to learn a lot of things on my own.”

Buchicchio said Martinez was able to keep his mind on his work the last two years, which she credits for his success.

“Everyone here just stayed on his back to make him the best he could be,” she said. “He’s turning out pretty good, I think.”