Faithers: Isi Martínez
Getting a degree in Telecommunications Engineering must be very tough. Playing in the Asobal League is also very difficult. Isi has achieved both, and at the same time.
At Faith of the South, we are not only thankful that he agreed to be part of our project, but also for the way he has treated throughout the entire process. We want to make this clear for posterity, in case anyone wonders what kind of person this superhuman is. Enjoy!
What does having faith in yourself mean to you?
For me, having faith in myself means trusting in my work, my values, and the person I am, with my virtues and my flaws, because both have helped me become who I am. Being aware that, with your successes and failures, you are on the right path is what gives me the confidence to keep going.
What motivated you to become a handball player?
My family has always been very athletic, and I've always loved playing all kinds of sports: soccer, track and field... but I chose handball because I watched it a lot from a very young age, since my father was a player and is now a coach. From the moment I started playing, I fell in love with the sport and was good at it, and seeing that I stood out motivated me to choose that path and dream of one day becoming a professional.
What is the hardest thing about handball?
The hardest thing, as in all sports, is injuries. These are moments when you feel isolated, unable to do what you love, and you work very hard, both physically and mentally, behind the scenes to come back as strong as possible. I would also say the sacrifice involved in the number of games, training sessions, trips, etc., which takes away quality time with the people you love, who also suffer when you come home tired or in a bad mood after a defeat.
Was there ever a moment when you were about to give up?
I've always considered myself a hard worker. Of course, there have been tough times trying to balance handball with an engineering degree, days of not stopping at home, studying whenever I could, arriving tired from training or traveling and having an important exam the next day... but it never crossed my mind to give up. I knew I could do it and that all the sacrifice would be worth it in the future, and luckily that's how it turned out.
From your own experience, what attributes are essential for a person to fulfill their dreams?
For me, without a doubt, being hardworking. When you set yourself a goal, no matter how talented you are, if you don't work hard, persevere, and fight every day to achieve it, it's very difficult to succeed. And if, for whatever reason, you fail or don't achieve your goals, because that can also happen, at least you have the peace of mind of knowing that you did everything in your power. Another fundamental attribute, in my opinion, is being a good person. This encompasses many attributes in turn, and I am convinced that good things happen more easily to good people and that they fulfill their dreams.
If you were to start over tomorrow in the world of handball, what would you change and why?
Perhaps I would change the way I deal with mistakes and defeats. Especially in my early years as a professional, I found it very difficult to put things into perspective, and when things went wrong, I tended to be overly self-destructive. Over the years, I have learned to manage those emotions better and to understand that mistakes and defeats are part of sport and life in general.
What habits have helped you to continue giving 100% every day after training, lessons, exams preparation, injuries, fatigue, etc.?
What has helped me the most is being very organized with everything. In terms of training, always having a warm-up, recovery, or match preparation routine. On a more general level, being very organized with my time, with pending tasks, and being aware of, for example, the hours I was going to have to devote to studying for a final exam, and being consistent with that self-management of my time. In recent years, I have also included a “Habit Tracker” where I check that I have fulfilled small daily habits such as my routine when I wake up, go to bed, read, take care of my diet...
What are the biggest sacrifices you have made for your career as a professional player?
The biggest sacrifices have been not having quality time or missing events with my family or friends because I prioritized my career, even as a child. Speaking of this, I always remember when I missed my school trip to Italy, a trip that you look forward to with tremendous enthusiasm throughout your school years. The team I played for notified us two weeks in advance that the dates of the CyL championship had changed and coincided with the trip. I decided to go to the championship, and many of my school friends didn't understand, but perhaps because of those small decisions and sacrifices, I have managed to get where I am now.
A lesson that you keep in mind every day?
A lesson that I always keep in mind is something my grandfather told me when I was a child. He would pick me up after school, and I was very excited about the good grades I had gotten. My grandfather told me not to brag and to always try to be humble, no matter how well things were going. It made a big impression on me, and I have tried to carry that lesson with me ever since.
What has been the most satisfying thing about your career so far?
I could mention two moments: when I finished presenting my final degree project and when my team was promoted to the first division. Although they were in different fields, they were moments when I remember feeling immense satisfaction, joy, and pride inside, knowing that all the effort and sacrifice had been worth it to achieve my goals.
What advice would you give to that child who wants to become a professional player?
The advice I would give him would be to trust himself and his work regardless of what others say. I remember that when I was little, I sometimes received comments such as that I would be too short to be a professional or that I was where I was because I was the son of a well-known coach. At the time, those comments hurt me and made me doubt myself, so that is the advice I would give to my younger self.
At this point, has all that effort been worth it?
Without a doubt. Every drop of sweat, every tear shed, every moment of wanting to give up and finding the strength to keep going has been worth it. The feeling of pride when you look back and see that you are where you are because of everything you have fought for is one of the best feelings there is. And beyond whether you have achieved it or not, the feeling of having tried with all your strength is what gives you true inner peace and personal satisfaction.
What makes you smile?
For me, finishing a game and seeing my parents in the stands with proud and happy faces, regardless of the result, always makes me smile. Seeing a friend and teammate recover from a complicated knee injury and enjoy playing again makes me smile. Going to watch the sunset on the coast, looking out at the sea, makes me smile. There are always reasons to smile, especially in the little things.
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