The late Ray Martin would no doubt be proud of his daughter Amanda. Like her father, she is establishing herself as a great part of the Oglesby athletic programs.
In 2025 she led the Lady Tigers to their best season ever, advancing to the Class 1A Region II semifinals, farther than any Oglesby has ever gone. They also set a record for most victories in a season, finishing 25-10.
Through every spike, every dig, every ace served and every victory celebration, she was thinking of her dad. She even thought of him after the losses, knowing he would be proud to know she and her team gave it their best.
“My father would have absolutely loved seeing me get to go to Oglesby but he passed away about four months before I took the job there (in 2021),” Amanda said. “Over my career coaching of 20 years, I can think of very few games he and my mother missed me coach as an adult.
“So, to say the least, it was such an honor to get to go back to a place that my family and myself loved and cherished so much.”
THE LEGACY OF RAY Ray coached the Tigers from 1975-87, establishing a consistent winner. He is considered by Texas football historians as one of the best six-man coaches to never win a state championship.
In fact, it wasn’t until his nephew, Jeb Dixon took over in 2020 (and still the head coach) that the program returned to state prominence after several decades. Dixon’s office is actually in the fieldhouse named after his uncle.
“Uncle Ray was a great man and mentor. My uncle was one of the most caring people I know. He loved unconditionally,” Dison said. “I Have so many memories of him, from shooting my first deer at the family farm, the many trips to Texas Safari in Clifton. He coached my summer league basketball team in high school. He sang at my wedding. He and I coached our sons Cannon and Seth’s football team together.”
Ray left Oglesby to become the volleyball coach and Dean of Men at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton in 1987. He won a pair of conference championships in his six seasons there, also serving as assistant men’s basketball coach.
He stepped down from his coaching roles when he was promoted to Dean of Students, a position he held until his retirement from UMHB in 2018 after 31 years of service.
His exit from coaching coincided with Amanda beginning her high school volleyball playing career at Gatesville High.
“He retired from coaching the year I went into high school to watch me play sports, which means more than I can tell you,”said Amanda, who attended Oglesby in kindergarten and first grade before moving.
FAVORITE MEMORIES OF DAD “I was young when we left, but I have so many memories of meeting dad after practice every day after he would finish in the evenings,” Amanda recalled. “I would also meet him on the field after a home game was over. Again, I treasure them today now that he is gone.”
“I do find myself thinking of him many times when I am coaching,” she continued. Ray came to most of the games she coached until he passed away. This is year 22 in education and 20 years of coaching for her.
COMING HOME
While she grew up in the Gatesville School District, Amanda said returning to Oglesby was like coming home.
“We had many, many people that felt like family here in Oglesby,” she said.
And she said Ray would have absolutely loved seeing her success and that of Dixon’s.
“I think he always hoped one of us would get to come back here at some point. He really loved it here and the many people that became like family to us over the years he was here,” she said.
“I still tend to look at the top of the stands when the game is over out of habit to look for him and my mom. Thankfully, my mom still comes to most of the games and is wonderful and supportive.”
When Amanda was first hired at Oglesby she worked for a year as an assistant coach. It was part of how she dealt with the death of her dad, with whom she had shared so much of her life and success.
“I just couldn’t quite do that yet. It was kind of our thing. No matter what school I’ve coached at, after a game was over I would give dad a call no matter how late it was when I got home and he and I would kind of talk the game out,” she remembered. “He had a way with words and was always great at that with everyone.
Dixon also reflected on those phone calls, noting that when he took the job as Tigers head football coach his uncle told him how much he loved the community.
“You could hear the excitement in his voice. My first year here we would talk on the weekends after the game,” Dixon said. “I could tell how proud he was of the job I was doing in Oglesby.
“Coaching in the same district as he did is really special. I enjoy hearing the old stories from kids he taught or coached. There are great memories for our family here in Oglesby.”
“I always loved it here before we moved, and we came back every so often to visit,” Amanda said of her younger years. “Or, if someone asked dad to come sing here at the church.
“Walking the same halls he did and getting to coach in the same gym. It’s like carrying a little piece of him with me when I’m here.”