Richard Martinez (soccer player)
Encyclopedia
Richard Martinez is an American-born Puerto Rican
footballer who currently plays for the Puerto Rico Islanders
in the North American Soccer League.
, who he helped to a pair of league championships and one sectional championship, and for whom he scored 42 goals and had 26 assists. He was a four-time All-conference, three-time scholar-athlete selection. He was a member of his region's the Olympic Development Program from 2000–2005, won a state cup championship in 2002, and played on the Super-Y League ODP team in 2003 and 2005, before playing college soccer at Hofstra University
from 2006 to 2009.
At Hofstra, Martinez was honored by the Colonial Athletic Association
with a selection to the All-Rookies Team in 2006, the CAA Second Team in 2007, the CAA First Team and NSCAA-All Southeast Region Team in 2008. In 2009, he was named CAA Defender of the Year, in addition to another appearance on the CAA First Team.
Martinez also played three years in the USL Premier Development League
, from 2007 to 2008 for the Westchester Flames
and in 2009 for the Long Island Rough Riders
.
.
He made his professional debut on April 16, 2010, in a 2010 CFU Club Championship
game against Haiti
an side Racing des Gonaïves, and made his league debut on April 21, 2010 in a 3-1 victory over NSC Minnesota Stars
.
He scored his first professional goal in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace Baltimore. in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Also, he recorded his first assist in the first leg of 2010 USSF D-2 playoffs in a 2-0 win over the first seeded Rochester Rhinos. During his rookie season in 2010, Martinez played in 55 of 59 games throughout the Caribbean Cup Championships, USSF D-2 League, Concacaf Champions League, and DirecTV SuperCopa, as well as helping the Islanders win their first league championship in the history of the club.
at training camp for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
. He would play in the 2-0 victory against Bermuda, which would be Puerto Rico
first victory in over 14 years. He would play in 4 more games during that year including the 2-2 draw against Honduras
. In 2010 he helped Puerto Rico beat Anguilla 3-1 in the first round of the 2010 Digicel Cup.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
footballer who currently plays for the Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
in the North American Soccer League.
Youth and college
Martinez attended Our Lady of Lourdes High SchoolOur Lady of Lourdes High School
Our Lady of Lourdes High School is located in Dutchess County, Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. The current principal is Father John M. Lagiovane. The school received accreditation from the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools in May 2004...
, who he helped to a pair of league championships and one sectional championship, and for whom he scored 42 goals and had 26 assists. He was a four-time All-conference, three-time scholar-athlete selection. He was a member of his region's the Olympic Development Program from 2000–2005, won a state cup championship in 2002, and played on the Super-Y League ODP team in 2003 and 2005, before playing college soccer at Hofstra University
Hofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
from 2006 to 2009.
At Hofstra, Martinez was honored by the Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
with a selection to the All-Rookies Team in 2006, the CAA Second Team in 2007, the CAA First Team and NSCAA-All Southeast Region Team in 2008. In 2009, he was named CAA Defender of the Year, in addition to another appearance on the CAA First Team.
Martinez also played three years in the USL Premier Development League
USL Premier Development League
The USL Premier Development League is the amateur league of the United Soccer Leagues in the United States, Canada, and Bermuda, forming part of the American Soccer Pyramid...
, from 2007 to 2008 for the Westchester Flames
Westchester Flames
Westchester Flames is an American soccer team based in New Rochelle, New York, United States. Founded in 1999, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its home games...
and in 2009 for the Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders
Long Island Rough Riders is an American soccer team based in South Huntington, New York, United States. Founded in 1994, the team plays in the USL Premier Development League , the fourth tier of the American Soccer Pyramid, in the Mid Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.The team plays its...
.
Professional
On February 17, 2010 Martinez signed with the Puerto Rico IslandersPuerto Rico Islanders
Puerto Rico Islanders is a Puerto Rican professional football team based in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Founded in 2003, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
.
He made his professional debut on April 16, 2010, in a 2010 CFU Club Championship
2010 CFU Club Championship
--------- Group B :All matches hosted in Puerto Rico. Officially, Bayamón played as visitor in the first leg.----- Group C :All matches hosted in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.--------- Group D :All matches hosted in Guyana....
game against Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an side Racing des Gonaïves, and made his league debut on April 21, 2010 in a 3-1 victory over NSC Minnesota Stars
NSC Minnesota Stars
The NSC Minnesota Stars is an American professional soccer team based in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 2010, the team plays in the North American Soccer League , the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid...
.
He scored his first professional goal in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace Baltimore. in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Also, he recorded his first assist in the first leg of 2010 USSF D-2 playoffs in a 2-0 win over the first seeded Rochester Rhinos. During his rookie season in 2010, Martinez played in 55 of 59 games throughout the Caribbean Cup Championships, USSF D-2 League, Concacaf Champions League, and DirecTV SuperCopa, as well as helping the Islanders win their first league championship in the history of the club.
International
Martinez was called up in January, 2008 to joined the Puerto Rico national football teamPuerto Rico national football team
The Puerto Rico national football team is the national team of Puerto Rico and is controlled by Federación Puertorriqueña de Fútbol. Puerto Rico's national football team is a member of the Caribbean Football Union, part of the CONCACAF....
at training camp for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
The qualification competition for the 2010 FIFA World Cup was a series of tournaments organised by the six FIFA confederations. Each confederation — the AFC , CAF , CONCACAF , CONMEBOL , OFC , and UEFA — was allocated a certain number of the 32 places at the tournament...
. He would play in the 2-0 victory against Bermuda, which would be Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
first victory in over 14 years. He would play in 4 more games during that year including the 2-2 draw against Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. In 2010 he helped Puerto Rico beat Anguilla 3-1 in the first round of the 2010 Digicel Cup.
Puerto Rico Islanders
- USSF Division 2 Pro League Champions (1): 2010
- CFU Club ChampionshipCFU Club ChampionshipThe CFU Club Championship or CFU Club Champions' Cup is the annual international football competition held amongst association football clubs from the Caribbean Islands for clubs that are members of the Caribbean Football Union...
Winner (1): 20102010 CFU Club Championship--------- Group B :All matches hosted in Puerto Rico. Officially, Bayamón played as visitor in the first leg.----- Group C :All matches hosted in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.--------- Group D :All matches hosted in Guyana....