Anyone who knows North Duplin’s Hannah Martin knows that she is extremely competitive. It is not a secret, and it helps make her who she is.

Martin invests in her passions, and she pursues them relentlessly. Playing sports at North Duplin helped instill the value of hard work and taught Martin how much of a difference truly dedicating yourself to your craft can make.

That does not mean limiting yourself to one passion, though. Martin has shined as a multi-sport athlete at North Duplin, and she has carved out a tremendous high school career for herself.

Martin has contributed significantly to the softball, volleyball, and basketball teams over the years. Her coaches praise her work ethic, natural skill, and her ability to get the best out of everyone around her.

“I would say softball is my favorite sport,” Martin said. “I’ve been playing softball since I was eight, and since I’ve played since I was younger, I grew to have a passion for it.

“I just knew I wanted to play in high school.”

Telling Martin’s journey through the lens of just one sport does not paint the whole picture. All three make her who she is, as she has mastered the art of focusing on whatever sport she is playing at any given moment.

Her primary sport is softball, and her softball career started at a young age. And she quickly realized she loved the thrill of being on the softball diamond with her teammates.

She improved over the years, and Martin made the varsity team as a freshman. During her freshman season, Martin posted a .441 batting average, a .504 on-base percentage to go along with 26 RBIs, eight doubles and four home runs.

The Rebels went 18-4 and advanced to the second round of the NCHSAA 1A playoffs.

Martin’s ability to put up impressive numbers as a freshman is a testament to her durability and willpower, and as Martin got older, her skills kept improving.

She had an outstanding sophomore season, but her junior season was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Martin said she was disappointed to lose a season of her favorite sport but is excited to play softball this season with her teammates.

Martin’s positive attitude also paved the way for a strong volleyball career, where she helped lead the Rebels to an 11-8 record and playoff appearance in 2019.

Over the years, Martin, who plans to major in dental hygiene, has developed a strong bond with her teammates in all three sports. Outside of sports, Martin is a member of HOSA, Beta Club and the science club.

“We are all really close, and we do a lot of things together as a team,” Martin said. “I hope to make it to the playoffs and see how far we can get.”

Playing multiple sports, participating in extracurricular, school, and having a social life is a lot for any student-athlete to juggle. Still, Martin said she found a nice routine for herself so that nothing overwhelms her.

“I’ve found a routine for myself,” Martin said.

Regardless of the sport, Martin is proud of everything she and her teammates have accomplished, and Martin will miss playing high school sports when she graduates later this year.

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