by Malcolm Butler
Katie Hall and Toni Martinez are friends from way back when.
Now they are coaching comrades at Cedar Creek.
Hall announced that Martinez — a veteran of the high school sideline — will be serving as the Lady Cougars junior high basketball head coach and the varsity assistant coach starting this season.
Martinez and Hall were teammates at Byrd High School in the 1990s and have been coaching friends ever since their playing days.
“Toni and I have collaborated for years,” said Hall, the second year Creek head coach. “Her knowledge of the game even as a freshman in high school stood out. Our daughters are on the same path so we have always kept in touch. She has played collegiately. She has coached collegiately. She has coached in high school.
“She has more high school experience than I do. I am willing to bring on people (to my staff) that will help make me better. She has different strengths and we will mesh well together.”
Martinez has 23 years of coaching experience that ranges from elementary school to high school to AAU to college. Most recently, she served as the assistant boys coach at Benton High School working alongside her husband, Todd.
“My respect for Katie Hall is immeasurable,” said Martinez. “I admire her as a Coach, a mom, a friend, but most importantly as a person. Her passion for developing kids in basketball and in life is special. I am excited to get to learn from her and be apart of the growth of basketball in the Cedar Creek community.”
Martinez’s longest tenure was at Byrd High School, where she served as the head coach from 2008 through 2018 compiling a record of 205-81 and leading the Yellow Jackets to 10 straight state playoff appearances. She was named the District 1-5A Coach of the Year in 2011 and the FCA Coach of the Year in 2015.
“She will bring a different perspective and a different intensity level,” said Hall. “I love that too.”
Martinez, who played two years of Division I basketball at UL-Lafayette from 1997 through 1999, also served as the head girls coach at Captain Shreve High School (2002-2003) and was an assistant coach at LSU-Shreveport (2003-2008).
She said she is happy to be back on the girls side of the game.
“I love the relationships on the girls side,” said Martinez. “I love developing those relationships and seeing their growth. I just love developing kids in general. I just love the game. I am anxious to be able to learn from Katie. I am excited about the opportunity.”
Martinez’s daughter, Taylor, will be a junior for the Lady Cougars after playing her first two years at Benton High School.
“Taylor has aspirations of playing college basketball,” said Martinez. “Katie obviously knows how to get players there and what they need to get to that level. I think she will pour into her and help develop her into the player she needs to be to go to the next level.”
The Lady Cougars are coming off a season that saw them earn a spot in the Select School Division IV playoffs and advance to the second round.
