By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Los Fresnos sophomore Dakota Martinez is a soft-spoken individual, but observers would never know she has a timid personality as they watch her play middle blocker.
Lady Falcons coach Becky Woods called Martinez a humble, respectful person, but said she becomes “an animal” when she flips the switch on the court. Martinez’s work ethic, volleyball IQ and raw skill earned her a starting spot for Los Fresnos, and she quickly became one of the top contributors on the team.
Martinez led the team with 13 blocks, had the second-highest kill total at 48 and accounted for 24 digs and seven assists as a varsity rookie. For the impact she made on the Lady Falcons, Martinez was named The Brownsville Herald’s All-Metro volleyball newcomer of the year.
“It feels great to get recognized, especially since I just came in to varsity,” Martinez said. “I was very nervous, but I was also excited to play with varsity. I feel I did pretty great. I felt very accomplished.”
Martinez said she used to watch the Los Fresnos varsity girls play when she was in middle school and hoped to one day be a part of the squad. She was a middle schooler when she started playing volleyball, and her rapid development is a testament to her desire to be great. Martinez is aiming for a college volleyball career, though she also plays basketball and softball for Los Fresnos, and Woods believes she has the potential to reach that goal.
“She has a lot of passion for the game, very committed,” Woods said. “She’s an awesome athlete. She surprised me to no end that she could come around and be a big middle hitter for me. I didn’t even think she’d start in the beginning, but after the first couple games, man, she definitely earned that starting position. She just attacks the ball hard and puts it where nobody is even at.”
Woods was a big influence on Martinez this season and aided the consistent improvement that led to Martinez being tabbed the District 32-6A newcomer of the year. The sophomore said teammates Tate Halford, the team captain, and Mia Brown were “very nice and encouraging, and very helpful” as she took on the new level of play. Martinez also credited her mom, who played for Brownsville Pace, with fixing her form and giving her hitting tips.
Martinez said her favorite thing about the season, besides putting down booming kills, was having fun playing with her teammates. With a handful of seniors graduating and Woods retiring, Martinez knows the team will be quite different next season, and she feels ready to step in as a veteran and lead the team with her impressive play and budding confidence.
“I’ve improved a lot since JV. I just plan on continuing to try to get better because I know I have things to fix. I believe I can help other girls when they come in (as a leader next year),” Martinez said.