12-year-old Cooper Martin is quickly proving that his dad (and proud coach), Jeremy Martin, isn’t the only Martin rugby fans should keep an eye out for.
Cooper is now the first Murrumburrah Public School student to be selected to join the NSW team in any sport for more than 20 years, and is the first student from Murrumburrah to ever be selected to participate in the NSW State Rugby Team.
The Times sat down with Cooper’s father, Jeremy, to speak about the legacy his son is carving out for himself.
“There were 22 boys picked at a day in Wagga a couple months ago for the Riverina side,” says Jeremy.
Amongst the four games that were played per player, more than 300 kids were selected from across the Riverina.
Out of the 22 students who were picked to play, six of the boys were from Harden.
The Harden boys, Jeremy says, and the whole team quickly got their legs beneath them as a new team.
“Harden had the most [players] in the team out of all the Riverina – including Wagga,” says Jeremy.
The boys participated in the Primary School’s Sporting Association’s (PSSA) NSW Rugby Championships, representing not only their school (Murrumburrah Primary School) but the Harden Junior Red Devils.
Murrumburrah celebrated the boys’ achievement in their recent newsletter:
“What an incredible week for six of our Year 6 students, who were selected to represent Riverina at the NSW Rugby Championships!”
They wrote.
“Having six students from MPS selected for the team was an outstanding achievement and something our entire school community is extremely proud of.
“Throughout the three-day carnival, the boys played tremendously, demonstrating skill, determination and excellent teamwork. They represented MPS and Riverina with pride, supporting one another and giving their very best in every game.
“At the conclusion of the championships, Harry Smith was named Players’ Player, while Cooper Martin received the Riverina Medal and was selected for the NSW State Rugby Team, an incredible achievement and a first in MPS history!
“Congratulations to all six boys. You represented our school and the Riverina region exceptionally well, and we could not be prouder!”
Cooper and Harry were joined by Liam Beal, Theo Brady, Noah Ward and William Hufton on the field.
As coach to all of the boys, Jeremy says he can’t show any favouritism, but says he was proud to see his son make MPS history.
“Nobody’s done it before,” he says.
“Cooper was definitely over the moon when he got his name called out because he lives and breathes union.
“He’s a big reason why I got the Junior Devils running again.”
Cooper’s success certainly isn’t a fluke, and Jeremy says he can be found training up to five days a week.
“He trains two times a week with his team, and then he trains with the older boys if he can, and then he also trains with the seniors twice a week with myself and the senior age group,” he says.
“He’s always training, and so for him to put all that hard effort to not only get the Riverina Medal, but to get named in the NSW squad was massive for him.”
Jeremy says he is incredibly proud of all of the boys who made it into the team, including two Harden boys who gave it their all in the trials.
“I’m proud of all the boys that went to the Riverina, no matter who made the NSW side,” he said.
“Cooper’s not always the fastest, but he’s very, very smart.
“He’s always played with his heart on his sleeve, no matter the score, he tries really hard.”
Some of the Harden boys took a moment to reflect on their achievement.
“Last week I competed in the NSWPSSA Rugby Union Championship. While I was there, we played seven games and won four. We played against North West, CIS and Hunter. We beat North West and lost to CIS and Hunter,” Liam wrote.
“On the second day we played two games, losing to South Coast first and then
beating North West 49-0.
“On Thursday it was the last day and we played two games and won both against North Coast and Western. It was a great week and even better that I got to score another long-range try.
“It was another fun time representing my school at state level again.”
“Even when we did lose, we still kept our heads up and managed to end the games on a three-game winning streak,” Harry wrote.
“It was an incredible week filled with teamwork, great memories and lots of rugby!” Theo and Noah wrote.
Cooper says both the Riverina Medal and his appointment to the NSW team was a shock, but he was excited nonetheless.
“Harry won the Players’ Player award and I won the Riverina Medal, [and] we watched the grand final before the NSW team was announced,” he wrote.
“I was so excited to make the squad as the first reserve!
“It was all so much fun!”
………Jeremy Martin certainly is the lifeblood of jnr Rugby in this town. Without him and his wife and a tight-knit committee, some 100 players are not playing the sport. ‘The Game They Play in Heaven’ as they say.
In these Twin Towns, Cooper will have a good chance of kicking on with his footy. Support from jnr Rugby League and Rugby Union will continue. But already it’s Cooper’s love for the contest. To be in the cauldron, the heat of the battle and to thrive there. To go to places some of the other forwards haven’t gone to yet, for some the penny has to drop on what they are capable of.
Jeremy and Teigan will keep him grounded but keep him focussed. It has been Jeremy’s ability to play through pain and injury that has kept him a Devil for so long. Hands, fingers, wrists, knees and ankles hamper a man who continues to take what is coming at him.
Cooper genuinely loves his football and it shines through.
Jeremy had just finished playing in a heart breaking Grand Final defeat when he turned to an older former team mate and with the pain of the loss to the Goldies, and love for his family, his wife Teigan and all his kids, he let the former Devil know how proud he was of Cooper and what likely set Cooper apart from other players on the day.
He said something like, “He just kept going. Even when we were getting beaten in the forwards in some games by a lot of points, he didn’t give up, he just kept tackling the big boys and he took them down. I think the Coaches for NSW saw this and that is what got him chosen.”
There’s no doubt this was the case because Jeremy keeps going and has kept going for his team mates and his team even when the odds are against him.
Is that how Champions are made? Maybe.
Maybe some are born with the skills, the body shape. Maybe some forge the skills through determination. Cooper Martin might be one who ticks all the boxes. Time will tell. Congratulations young man.
Elizabeth Kovacs
The South West Slopes Times covers an area approximately the size of Fiji in country NSW. We look after a population of more than 50,000 people with our staff servicing 7 major towns and dozens of villages with our story telling footprint.
We offer weekly print editions at $3 a copy and we also offer digital subscriptions across 3 months $30, 6 months $60 and 12 months $120.
We are one of the last truly local independent family run newspaper businesses in the state.
Contact us today to find out how we can promote your business or organisation across our huge network by emailing ads@thetimes.net.au or by calling 0413 763 216.
If you have a news tip, lead or scoop for us please make contact as we love celebrating our communities. You can contribute articles via our South West Slopes Times website.