DENNIS SILVA II | STAFF WRITER
Sharyland High baseball coach Junior Martinez recently stepped down from his post to spend more time with his wife Veronica, who has multiple sclerosis.
“She’s not getting better or worse, but I need to be there for her,” said Martinez, who said Veronica goes to Houston every three months for check-ups.
Martinez will still be with the Rattlers’ program, remaining on as a varsity first assistant coach.
“I don’t have the flexibility (to leave and attend to Veronica) as a head coach,” Martinez said Saturday afternoon. “I need to be there for her. I decided it’d be best for the family to step back. It’s strictly based on my family.
“Sharyland’s been good for me and I enjoy it here. But I didn’t want to continue this position knowing in the back of my mind that there are other priorities.”
In three years at the helm of the Rattlers, Martinez went 52-31.
On Saturday afternoon, former Sharyland High coach Bart Bickerton told The Monitor via text message that he will be the head coach of the Rattlers.
Bickerton compiled a 382-76 record in 15 years at the helm of Sharyland High before stepping down in 2013. Since then, he has been the head coach at Mercedes (2014) and Brownsville Porter (2015) and was an assistant coach at Port Isabel this season.
Bickerton led the Rattlers to 12 district championships and helped progress the talents of Tres Barrera, Eric Gutierrez and others.