GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Cameron Martinez learned a lot throughout his four years at Muskegon High School, but without question the most important lesson was saved for last.
“You don’t really appreciate something until it’s taken away from you,” he says.
It’s something the soon-to-be Muskegon graduate didn’t need to be in a classroom to figure that out. Partly because the class room literally was taken away from him. Since school shut down for the year, he’s been cooped up at home, finishing out his remaining classes online.
“It’s the way life goes and you just got to move forward,” he explains.
And that’s exactly what he’s been doing. If there’s a silver lining in living in self-isolation for the 5-foot-11, 183-pound football star, it’s that he’s already been getting acquainted with future teammates at Ohio State through virtual meetings.
“I’m pretty much on the same level as a lot of the freshman that did come in because they had to go back home (due to the pandemic),” he says. “It’s kind of given me a chance to be on track with them and get better.”
Through an app, the Buckeye coaches already have Martinez on a workout schedule. He admits it wasn’t easy getting started but now he’s in a groove.
“It took a while for me to adjust in the workouts because not being there was something that was tricky. I was able to adjust to that and get into a routine. I do it every morning,” the former Big Red quarterback says proudly.
Of course Martinez knows there’s a chance he won’t have a typical season or maybe even a season this year at all. In Buckeye team meetings, he says coaches as well as city officials in Columbus, Ohio have kept them in the loop on what’s going on have tried to them positive.
“You know I think if everybody is still taking precautions and doing what they need to do, I think we’ll play,” said Martinez.
If that happens, this Big Reds legend says he will be ready.
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