Over the summer, 13-year-old Zachary Martin of Levittown was named an All-American athlete for his performance on the gridiron, earning him an invitation to the ninth annual Offense-Defense Youth All-American Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
Martin, a defensive lineman for the Wisdom Lane Middle School Wildcats, said he was selected among a group of young athletes after attending a rigorous five-day football camp at LIU Post.
“The beginning three or four days were all practice,” Martin said, “with a game on the last day.”
According to Herb Blanding, with the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl Committee, Martin’s performance throughout the program easily validated the committee’s decision to give him the All-Star title.
After going toe-to-toe with some of the top offensive and defensive talents from all across the state, Martin was invited to participate in the upcoming All-American Bowl festivities taking place during the NCAA Citrus Bowl.
In preparation for the week-long series of events, Martin said he plans to bring his A-game to the turf once the season is underway.
“I think we have to play more physical,” Martin said about the forthcoming football season. “We can’t be afraid to hit or get hit.”
The Offense-Defense Youth All-American Bowl is part of a week-long series of events, from Dec. 30 – Jan. 4, all leading up to the All-Star football game, showcasing 88 of the top high school seniors in the country. In years past, the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl has featured such NFL professionals as Cam Newton, Joe Haden and Dez Bryant among others before they were collegiate stars.
Excited, having been selected among thousands of youth athletes all across the country, Martin said he is also looking forward to attending the Citrus Bowl as well as several of the amusement parks in Orlando.
