Strake Jesuit football standout carries his family legacy to MIT

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- To his football teammates, Strake Jesuit senior JC Martinez is a team captain and a two-time all-district offensive lineman.

"It's very real. It's very tactile. You can feel it," Martinez said about the sport he's grown to love.

He's also one of the most accomplished students at Strake Jesuit.

"I do like to challenge myself. I've been taking really hard classes," Martinez said.

This fall, he'll head to MIT, one of the elite schools in America that's recognized around the world.

"Everyone there is super motivated," he told me. "Trying to tackle the world's biggest problems. And even if I'm not solving the most challenging math problem, I'm surrounded by people who are so driven."

Martinez is the founder of the finance club at Strake Jesuit. He's also been a member of the school's robotics engineering team and served as student body president.

His list of accomplishments continues well beyond the space that's available. It's hard for him to pick one pursuit that's his favorite, but he knows what offers a break for his restless and remarkable mind.

"Putting your fingers in certain keys, it feels weird, but over time, as you practice, it starts giving way," he said after he finished playing one of his favorite classical piano pieces. "You can start hearing the melodies, and it comes out very nicely."

Martinez's grandmother taught him how to play when he was growing up in Mexico.

"Piano is the universal language," he said. "No matter where you are, the notes are all the same. Here in the United States. Here in Mexico."

He continues to play and enjoys the enduring connection with the woman who introduced him to the classics.

"It's kind of like a tribute now. I play the pieces I would once play for her. It definitely brings back some great memories," he said.

This fall, he'll play football for MIT. He plans to major in finance and stay busy with a long list of challenges and activities as he finds his place among some of the most brilliant young people in the world.

But he'll continue to find time for the piano and play pieces that remind him of his family.

"There's a connection there at home that I carry with me wherever I go," he said.