The Abilene High School basketball team gets a State Championship level addition to their coaching staff with the hiring of Pat Martin. Martin returns to coaching after being retired since 2018. He coached at the high school level from 1999-2018, with the last 11 years being at his alma-mater Sacred Heart, where he won a State Championship in 2017.
Martin had a Hall of Fame level run at Sacred Heart. Prior to his hiring, the Knights made the State tournament just once in 30 years. Martin turned Sacred Heart into a perennial State team with 8 trips in his 11 seasons, culminating with a State Title in 2017. It was the Knight’s 10th State Championship in school history but their first in 36 years. During his time at Sacred Heart, he compiled a record of 203-67. His teams were 30-3 in Sub-State games, and at his retirement the Knights had a 40 game NCAA (North Central Activities Association) winning streak, which spanned over 4 seasons. In an addition to a State Title, his teams also brought home a 2nd place finish once and a 3rd place finish twice. The Knights also were 92-5 in his final 4 years as Head Coach.
Martin is a 1983 graduated of Sacred Heart High School. He went on to graduate from Fort Hays State in 1989 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology. He currently is a state certified professional geologist, and President and CEO of Environmental Priority Service, Inc. an environmental consulting firm that he established 32 years ago. In addition to his geology business, he also raises cattle.
At Abilene, Martin will join an experienced staff led by Head Coach Kyle Taylor. Taylor went 16-7, with a trip to State in his first season. Kyle Taylor’s father Terry, is also part of the staff as an assistant coach. Terry Taylor has over 400 varsity wins and a State Championship on his resume. The Cowboys lost Tyler Bryson off the staff, who had spent the last 5 seasons as an assistant coach. The Cowboys had tremendous success during Bryson’s time on the staff with 4 trips to State in 5 seasons under head coaches Erik Graefe and Kyle Taylor. Bryson will now lead the Abilene Middle School 8th grade program alongside Graefe.
Martin has enjoyed his time in Abilene and looks forward to the start of the season, “We appreciate how much my family and I have been accepted. We love the community and the community has embraced us.”
Abilene will open the season December 2 at Holton. The first practices for winter sports will be on November 17.
