TUE 28 SEP 2004
Martinazzi brings aggression, comedic relief to soccer team
By Amanda SchankArgonaut Staff
When she first stepped into the sport that would come to embody her entire life, Melissa Martinazzi was dressed in a bright pink shirt and labeled a Pink Panther. Now, she’s outfitted in black and gold and a different name, but if you asked her to don another bright pink shirt and relive her Pink Panther days by dancing down the street, she would do it.
Daniel Bickley / ARGONAUT - Melissa Martinazzi makes a sharp U-turn toward the goal Tuesday during practice at Guy Wicks Field.
“The team has gained more appreciation for the game through her; she helps push and motivates the rest of us,” teammate and fellow senior Ashley Cox says. “She also has a good outlook on life and the ability to not worry about so many things. She’s so free spirited, and that rubs off after you hang out with her for a while.”
According to Martinazzi, her love for soccer has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember. She and her older sister grew up playing soccer in Bellevue, Wash., allowing constant opportunities for friendly competition.
“I give credit to my sister for making me the player I am,” Martinazzi says. “We’d go in the backyard and I’d shoot on her between two plum trees, so every day I’d get practice. We never got too competitive unless we started slide tackling each other; then it just got into a wrestling match.”
Outside the safety of her backyard, the competition grew serious. Martinazzi played on club teams from her preschool years to high school. In fifth grade, she began competing in age groups above her. The constant contact with bigger, stronger and more experienced players forced Martinazzi to adjust her playing style and increase her aggressiveness.
Coach Arby Busey says playing a level up is a major reason Martinazzi thrives in the college environment.
In the past three years, Martinazzi has started 49 games for the Vandals, scoring three goals and notching five assists.
As a center midfielder, Martinazzi is in charge of controlling the tempo of the game, having a good vision of the field and distributing the ball to her teammates. Busey says that while the position doesn’t allow frequent opportunities for Martinazzi to score, she is invaluable to the team in her role.
“She sets the table for everyone else,” Busey says. “Our team, as a whole, has scored more goals, and I think it’s a direct result of effort she’s expended. She’s smart and sophisticated enough to be aware of her impact in a game.”
According to her teammates, though, sophistication is an attribute that Martinazzi rarely carries with her off the field. Cox says dancing in the locker room and the acceptance of spontaneous dares are common occurrences for the girl who “just makes people laugh.”
“She fell into the role of keeping everyone loose and keeping things from getting too stressful. She’s the team comedian,” Busey says. “She’s always right there to make a joke, do something silly or just as some form of comic relief.”
But sometimes, the bull hits even the most experienced clown.
Only days before last year’s first game of the season, Martinazzi tore all the ligaments and tendons in her left ankle. The injury created an irreplaceable void on the team, Busey says.
“The injury made me realize how much I really did love to play because just watching was probably one of the worst experiences ever,” Martinazzi says. “I just tried to be there and support my team.”
According to Martinazzi, she has fully recovered from the injury and plays this season like she’s making up for last year’s six-week loss.
Her future plans include a career in media production or the possibility of playing overseas. Apart from a graduation date in May, Martinazzi says she has yet to narrow her options.
As for her soccer career, Busey says Martinazzi would be sorely missed at UI.
“As a coach, you don’t look to replace her because you know that’s a futile effort,” Busey says. “You just hope to use her as an example and hope that her example becomes a part of the legacy that she’s helped to provide.”
Today
UI women’s golf at Lady Bulldog InvitationalPost Falls
Thursday
IntramuralsSingles tennis entry deadline
Friday
UI women’s tennis at Boise InvitationalBoise
UI women’s soccer vs. Pacific
Stockton, Calif., 7 p.m.
UI volleyball vs. UC Irvine
Irvine, Calif., 7 p.m.
Saturday
UI football vs. Eastern MichiganYpsilanti, Mich., 3 p.m.
UI volleyball vs. Long Beach State
Long Beach, Calif., 7 p.m.
UI men’s cross country at Willamette Invitational
Salem, Ore.
Sunday
UI women’s golf at Heather Farr MemorialBoulder, Colo.
UI women’s soccer vs. Cal State Northridge
Northridge, Calif., 12:30 p.m.
Sports&Rec Editor: Brennan Gause
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