How Dylan Martin's family helped him earn a shot at Olympic glory

For years Ross and Lesley Martin would pack up their Mazda and make the ten-hour round trip to Sydney, for games with University of NSW, and training with the NSW Institute of Sport, up to four times a week.

It's a familiar story told many times. For country kids to succeed, the time commitment is massive not just for the athlete themselves, but the entire family.

Come 8pm Thursday night, when Martin lines up for the Kookaburras in an Olympic hockey final, those sacrifices have proven more than worth it.

They were on hand for his debut in New Zealand during the Olympic build-up, but COVID means Ross and Lesley can't be on hand in Tokyo to watch the 23-year-old shoot for glory.

But they will be glued to the TV at their Glenfield Park home alongside Martin's older siblings Rhys, 27, Brooke 34, and Stuart, 37.

The family have had green and gold shirts made with 'Martin' and his playing number '14' emblazoned on the back.

"He surprised himself (getting selected). He was more targeting 2024 and next year's Commonwealth Games," Lesley said.

"While he was doing his HSC (at Wagga High) we'd drive to Sydney three or four times a week, five hours to get there and then drive back five hours.

"He used to play in Sydney (on Saturdays), and then he'd go to Wollongong (on Sundays) and play for the uni down there with (former Kookaburra) Tristan White and (Olympic teammate) Flynn Ogilvie, then head home Sunday night for school."

Ross said COVID forcing the Olympics to be delayed by a year was critical for his son to win selection.

But after he played all four games of the New Zealand tour in March, their hopes grew.

"He got very lucky with COVID, had it of been last year (he wouldn't have made it)," Ross said.

"We thought he'd get one game (in New Zealand), he played all four so we knew they were looking at him then.

"We thought maybe he might get to be one of the two reserves, and it became even better than that.

"He's had an absolute blinder of a year, you couldn't imagine it would be so good."

Martin has had a hockey stick virtually surgically attached to his hand as long as the family can remember.

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All the family played hockey at a local level, and it was simply in the baby of the family's make-up to follow suit.

"He was always up there at the hockey fields. At half time at age four he'd want to be out there practicing, and always had a stick in his hand balancing things on it," Lesley said.

Lesley hopes the nerves will dissipate a little after Australia's 3-1 win over Germany in the semi finals guaranteed her son an Olympic medal.

"I get the most nervous. I have to leave (the room) sometimes and can't watch," she said.

"We'd like them to get gold but a silver would still be good. For them to be in the position they are is amazing.

"It's yet to really hit home."

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