Coach, 72, helps keep Penn Hills fitness team in tiptop shape

By: Josh Rizzo
Sunday, February 12, 2023 | 11:01 AM

Bob Martini’s energy is infectious. When it comes to fitness — or talking about it — it’s not hard to see why the 72-year-old Penn Hills resident has been able to keep the physical fitness team at the high school together.

Usually after he works out with the team, Martini will head to the gym and be there late at night. Junior Chyno Spearman works hard to try and keep up with Martini.

“If we aren’t feeling good or having a good day, he’ll still push us,” Spearman said. “If we’re sick, he’ll let us take it lightly. He’s hip. He’s not an old geezer. He’s still a fun guy, and it’s nice to have a coach like that.”

Finding events isn’t easy for Martini, who competed on the team himself while he was a student at Penn Hills in the late 1960s. While there were many Western Pennsylvanian teams when he took over as head coach in the early 1980s, Penn Hills is the only one remaining. This year, Martini has eight boys competing.

Six competitors make up a team. In December, Penn Hills had its first competition. Jadyn Wright was the top male finisher at the event in Reading.

Wright, who said he believed his numbers were good enough to win, plans to pursue the military after high school. After wrestling in the past, Wright has decided to focus on fitness and he also plays on Penn Hills club rugby team.

When it comes to fitness, Wright doesn’t necessarily have an offseason. He is constantly on the move year round.

“The last month before competition I focused on weighted calisthenics,” Wright said. “I train year round, but I train closer to the competition.”

Martini said that Wright has been focused on getting better.

“He’s very dedicated,” Martini said. “We lift and make sure they use good technique. He is strict and dedicated.”

The Indians also won as a team.

Martini was pleased with how his team did at the competition. Penn Hills had only started practicing about a month before the event. Martini said it was the earliest they had ever competed.

“Usually we don’t have a competition that early in the season,” Martini said. “The six guys stayed together and were in good shape. When they said there was a new team out in Reading, we said that we would compete. There were eight teams there.”

Martini said Penn Hills will have a few more competitions before nationals, which will be in Little Rock, Ark. The Indians will have to help fundraise for the trip south.

Spearman enjoys being on the team partially for the ability to travel to different places for competitions but also to stay in shape for baseball.

“All the guys do their own things,” Spearman said. “We’re always doing something in the season or the offseason. Fitness helps out with the other sports I do.”

Tags: Penn Hills