With the Olympics due to kick off on the weekend, Ray Martin is preparing to watch his son Damian Martin represent Australia playing basketball with the Boomers.
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The Gloucester Advocate contacted Ray for photographs of Damian playing basketball over the years, to compiled in a slideshow for the website leading up to the Rio Olympics.
Ray generously brought out all of the newspaper clippings, mainly from the Gloucester Advocate (GA), that he has saved mentioning his son, for a trip down memory lane.
There was an overwhelming collection of newspapers, magazines, awards and letters of congratulations documenting the talented young basketballer’s achievements.
The Advocate has tracked Damian’s career since be started playing basketball at a very young age and Ray has kept all of the clippings. He figures he has more newspapers in his office than in the Gloucester Advocate.
Ray recently returned from Melbourne, where he and his wife Anne watched Damian play with the Australian Boomers. The team played two warm up games against the Pac-12 All Stars, a team of American college basketball players.
The Martins managed to have a big family reunion in Melbourne with all five of their children getting together.
Damian’s siblings John, Beth, Daniel and Anthony were there to see him off before he headed off to Argentina where the Boomers were to play six ‘friendly’ games before continuing on to Rio for the start of the games.
As Damian is one of six players on the 12 man team that play the guard position, Ray isn’t sure how much court time Damian will get during the games with big NBA players like Patty Mills and Matt Dellavedova on the team.
But it doesn’t matter because making it into the Olympic team is a dream come true for Damian. And due to his age, this was his last chance to go.
When asked how he will be watching the game, Ray replied with a smile: “With a cold beer in my hand; except for the morning games, of course.” The Boomers’ first game is Sunday, August 7 at 3:15am (AEST) against France.
With a cold beer in my hand; except for the morning games, of course.
- Ray Martin
The next big adventure for Damian and his wife Brittany will be the arrival of their first child, due on September 3, not long after the closing ceremony on August 21.
Damian Martin’s slideshow can be viewed online.
