Angie and Jeff Martin are among many relationships in the Sycamore staff, but they are the only couple who works in the same department with the same athletes.

Angie Martin has been with the Sycamore athletic staff for ten years  and enters her second year as the head coach of women's track and field. Her previous nine years of assistant coaching have been focused on long sprint and combined events. Prior to her hiring in 2002, Angie was a student athlete at ISU from 1998 to 2002, and she was recently inducted into the Indiana State University Athletics hall of fame in 2010. Angie was a three-time Missouri Valley Conference champion in the 400 meter hurdles and she earned All-American status in the 2000 NCAA Indoor Championship 800 meter race, running a time of 2:06.19.

Jeff Martin joined ISU in 2005 as an assistant coach for the pole vault, long jump and triple jump. Jeff was also a student athlete at ISU from 1997 to 2002 where he specialized in hurdle events. He was a contributor to the 2000 MVC 4x400 meter champion team, as well as a member of the ISU record holding shuttle hurdle relay team from the 2001 Drake Relays. He was a six time All-MVC selection and lettered all four years.

Angie and Jeff met by natural causes: both being on the track team, and both joining as new hurdlers. After spending most of their college careers together, they were married in the fall of 2001. From the roots of their relationship, they have traveled, coached and expanded their careers simultaneously.

After graduating from ISU, both Angie and Jeff accepted student teaching offers from Lawrence North High School, where she assisted with the girls track team, and he assisted with the boys. Upon completion, Angie returned to ISU with her assistant coach offer, and Jeff began teaching and coaching at Terre Haute South. Now, both of their paths have landed back at ISU, and their passion for coaching, track and field and Sycamore athletics has continued to blossom.

"We both say that we are self proclaimed track nerds," Angie said. "We do a good job coexisting with each other; I think that the fact that we are both so passionate about track — that's how we met, that's where we work — is why it works."

As a part of their admittance to the ISU athletic coaching staff, both Angie and Jeff had to make the transition of being coached by John Gartland and John McNichols  to working with them.

"The transition was easy," Jeff said. "As an athlete, I respected them and learned a great deal from them, and I carried over well when I made the transition from a high school setting to college."

After accepting the women's head coach position, Angie has experienced a more dramatic flux. Working with Gartland gave her personal and hands-on assistance in developing her skills, and at times, gave her the feeling that he was coaching her once again, she said.

"As I became a coach, [Gartland and McNichols] were great mentors and helped me develop," Angie said. "They let me develop my own philosophy as a coach."

Like every workplace, both Angie and Jeff admitted that not all situations are without discussion or disagreement. Though, the specificity of them being prior ISU athletes and their willingness to carry on the goals and traditions that they were thought as athletes weighs over any negativity.

"We don't have the same coaching philosophy, but we have the same goal," Angie said. "We have different ways of getting to the same common end point."

Since the Martins athletic careers began, the athletic department has underwent a few changes for the good.

"The main difference is that Mr. Prettyman and President Bradley value athletics placement in the university and understand that it is a good asset to have successful athletic programs," Jeff said.

The funding has increased for all sports, as well as an escalated spirit from all of ISU. Angie contributes part of this alteration to President Bradley, as well.

"He wants Indiana State, as a whole to grow. He and his wife are constantly supporting everything," Angie said. "It seems like they truly love it here."

Additionally, there are sensible standards that couples must abide by when working together. With track and field being such an involved sport for coaching, Jeff said that there are times when the workplace is brought home.

"It is a delicate balance – you have to understand that there is a workplace relationship and a personal relationship as well," Jeff said. "Sometimes the personal relationship does interfere with the work, and vice versa."

At home, the Martins have established a family that is more than track and field and themselves. They are proud parents of their daughter Emma, age five  and their son Blake, age two.

Both Angie and Jeff are looking forward to many more years with ISU track and field, and they could not have asked for a better situation.

"It was a natural fit to make the transition here. We would be on the same schedule and knew what our schedules would be," Jeff said.

As for Angie, she said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."