The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
More Than a Game: Taren Martin’s Journey with Basketball
1/23/2018 1:24:00 PM | Women's Basketball
There are many sacrifices that go along with being a college basketball coach.
The hours spent watching film and scouting opponents. The travel in-season and for recruiting. It's the little things that the average person just doesn't see.
But through the grind of it all, the one constant that remains is family.
For associate head coach Taren Martin, she has discovered two families through basketball: her family at home and her family on the court.
As UAB prepares to celebrate Family Fun Day and National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Saturday, Martin perfectly exemplifies the hard work and dedication it takes to be both a mom and a Division I basketball coach.
A four-year player at Illinois State University from 2000-04, Martin found the value in the many life lessons that the game of basketball provided her.
"Playing college basketball was a really great experience," Martin said. "I learned a lot of life lessons in my four years at Illinois State. I had a good experience as far as going through the ups-and-downs and how that transcends into work, being a mom and being a wife. All of those things really prepared me for my new jobs."
Those lessons have continued to pay huge dividends for the fifth-year associate head coach as she has taken a lot of what she learned and translated that into her dynamic way of coaching.
"The way I coach is definitely tough love and I like to push the girls to their limit," she noted. "After it is all over with, though, I am right there for the players and I am their biggest fan. I am there for them no matter what. I really do look at the girls like they are my daughters. They are really special to me."
While she continues to mold her 13 daughters on the court, she is also a mom to three children of her own: Ryleigh, Jackson and Tyson. Her role as a mom has also begun to take a new shape as she routinely brings all three around the team.
Just like she spent her much of her childhood, it is common to see all three of her kids running around the court at practice, playing with the girls and even getting shots up on their own.
"It is very special to be able to bring my own kids around the team," Martin said. "My dad was a coach, so I was always in the gym with him. Now that I am in that role, it brings back so many great memories that I had. Seeing my kids around the girls is just amazing because they are impacting them daily. It just warms my heart to know we have such a great group of girls that are doing more than just basketball and school they are impacting little kids' lives."
With both men's and women's basketball teams celebrating Family Fun Day on Saturday, it also a chance for kids of all ages to get that same experience.
"Our team has a great impact on all kids who see us play in a very positive way," Martin said. "The girls play so hard and play with a lot of emotion and grit. I just think they are a great example for them."
Her family-first mentality is also evident in the way that she approaches women's basketball and women's sports in general.
While at Illinois State, Martin was the first Redbird to record 300 assists, 250 made free-throws, 150 steals and 100 3-pointers. Her senior season, she averaged 11.4 points, 4.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game and led the team to one of its best records in years.
But even after an illustrious playing career, she has seen the growth and impact that women's sports has had on not just her, but on her current players and to her daughter.
"Women's sports have come a long way," Martin noted. "To see where it is at today where it is an equal, I think it is outstanding. I know there were women years ago that made the way for that. We just appreciate that to where we can see women on ESPN and FOX. It is incredible to see where it was and where it is at today."
On Jan. 27, the UAB women's basketball team will be take part in inaugural Ever Faithful 5K, which is being put on in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The national event celebrates the importance of fair play, building awareness about Title IX and working together toward its promise of equal opportunity in sports.
Both the men's and women's programs will participate in Family Fun Day during their games on Saturday afternoon, celebrating all of the Blazer families that do so much to support both of the programs.
For more information on all of Saturday's event, visit uabsports.com.
The hours spent watching film and scouting opponents. The travel in-season and for recruiting. It's the little things that the average person just doesn't see.
But through the grind of it all, the one constant that remains is family.
For associate head coach Taren Martin, she has discovered two families through basketball: her family at home and her family on the court.
As UAB prepares to celebrate Family Fun Day and National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Saturday, Martin perfectly exemplifies the hard work and dedication it takes to be both a mom and a Division I basketball coach.
A four-year player at Illinois State University from 2000-04, Martin found the value in the many life lessons that the game of basketball provided her.
"Playing college basketball was a really great experience," Martin said. "I learned a lot of life lessons in my four years at Illinois State. I had a good experience as far as going through the ups-and-downs and how that transcends into work, being a mom and being a wife. All of those things really prepared me for my new jobs."
Those lessons have continued to pay huge dividends for the fifth-year associate head coach as she has taken a lot of what she learned and translated that into her dynamic way of coaching.
"The way I coach is definitely tough love and I like to push the girls to their limit," she noted. "After it is all over with, though, I am right there for the players and I am their biggest fan. I am there for them no matter what. I really do look at the girls like they are my daughters. They are really special to me."
While she continues to mold her 13 daughters on the court, she is also a mom to three children of her own: Ryleigh, Jackson and Tyson. Her role as a mom has also begun to take a new shape as she routinely brings all three around the team.
Just like she spent her much of her childhood, it is common to see all three of her kids running around the court at practice, playing with the girls and even getting shots up on their own.
"It is very special to be able to bring my own kids around the team," Martin said. "My dad was a coach, so I was always in the gym with him. Now that I am in that role, it brings back so many great memories that I had. Seeing my kids around the girls is just amazing because they are impacting them daily. It just warms my heart to know we have such a great group of girls that are doing more than just basketball and school they are impacting little kids' lives."
With both men's and women's basketball teams celebrating Family Fun Day on Saturday, it also a chance for kids of all ages to get that same experience.
"Our team has a great impact on all kids who see us play in a very positive way," Martin said. "The girls play so hard and play with a lot of emotion and grit. I just think they are a great example for them."
Her family-first mentality is also evident in the way that she approaches women's basketball and women's sports in general.
While at Illinois State, Martin was the first Redbird to record 300 assists, 250 made free-throws, 150 steals and 100 3-pointers. Her senior season, she averaged 11.4 points, 4.6 assists and 2.6 steals per game and led the team to one of its best records in years.
But even after an illustrious playing career, she has seen the growth and impact that women's sports has had on not just her, but on her current players and to her daughter.
"Women's sports have come a long way," Martin noted. "To see where it is at today where it is an equal, I think it is outstanding. I know there were women years ago that made the way for that. We just appreciate that to where we can see women on ESPN and FOX. It is incredible to see where it was and where it is at today."
On Jan. 27, the UAB women's basketball team will be take part in inaugural Ever Faithful 5K, which is being put on in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day. The national event celebrates the importance of fair play, building awareness about Title IX and working together toward its promise of equal opportunity in sports.
Both the men's and women's programs will participate in Family Fun Day during their games on Saturday afternoon, celebrating all of the Blazer families that do so much to support both of the programs.
For more information on all of Saturday's event, visit uabsports.com.
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