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Talented Hernando twins pleasant problem for coach

By LARRY BUGG
Published September 27, 2005

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando boys coach Ernie Chatman is blessed with a remarkable memory but has problems figuring out which of the Martucci twins he's talking to.

"I always get them mixed up," Chatman said. "Andrew gave Ben a shorter haircut. Andrew has more of a blonder colored hair. Sometimes, they play along with it. Ben is the quieter one. Drew is more outgoing."

"At the end of a run, he will ask me how my knees are," Ben said of the coach. "I haven't been injured. Drew has had quite a lot of injuries."

The twins have many physical and mental similarities.

The older 16-year-old twin, Ben, is 5-foot-10 and 128 pounds. Andrew, who goes by Drew, is 5-9 and 131.

Both of them are excellent students (3.7 grade-point averages) and looking into running cross country and track and field at NCAA Division I schools such as the University of Florida and South Florida or Division II Florida Southern College. And both are considering a major in business and perhaps someday working together.

The Martucci's, born and raised in Brooksville, are running well.

Ben has run two races and has second-place showings in both. Steven Bell of Land O'Lakes beat Ben in the Land O'Lakes Invitational and the Lecanto Invitational. Bell ran 16:25 at Lecanto, and Martucci clocked in at 16:33. Teammate Jacob Bess was ninth (17:02) and the younger Martucci was 18th (17:39).

Ben Martucci was 18th overall in the Class 2A state meet last year with a time of 16:28. The Martucci twins and Bess, a senior, may be taking Hernando on a great ride that could include a strong finish at state meet on Nov.10.

"I know we have a very good chance of going far this year," Ben said. "I have one more year after this. We have a chance to do top five at state."

Drew is different in that he is more outgoing and healthier than Ben.

"I'm usually talking to people," Drew said. "I talk a lot to people. I think we are the closest twins around.

"I have the injuries," he said. "I have had tendonitis in the knee to the hips, to a back pull, pulled Achilles tendon and tendonitis."

Drew has a continuing problem with his breathing.

"I have asthma," he said. "That's the worst. I found out in the fifth grade. I had an attack at state. I ran an 18:19 at state. I finished over 100th place. It was really bad."

Chatman knows he has two gems in the Martucci twins. What coach wouldn't like to have two talented distance runners who are excellent students.

"I think their gene pool is pretty good," Chatman said. "They have that cardiovascular strength. They have running bodies. They have some natural talent. They have run a lot more in the summer than in the past."

The twins appreciate their remarkable coach.

"I like him," Drew said. "I think he's an inspiration. He runs marathons. He is like a second dad for me. He was at the chiropractor with me. He will always be there."

The twins are religious sorts who perform comedy skits at the Spring Lake United Methodist Church. They know they are blessed.

"I would like to give God all the glory for what I do," said Drew.

Ben is the quieter of the twins but actually is the team leader.

"Ben leads by example," Chatman said. "Everybody respects that. He runs a greater distance than the rest of them. Andrew has a few more things to say."

Chatman has had a strong cross country program for years and the Martuccis may be among the best he has coached.

"They rank with the best that we have had, there with John Emerson (currently a Hernando assistant coach), Casey Isaac and Jody Spangler," Chatman said. "I don't think they are quite up to their best times.

"I really don't think we have seen the best of Andrew, Ben and Jacob Bess.

Like many of his runners, Chatman had to recruit the talented twins.

"I had an ongoing conversation with them," Chatman said. "I was thinking they would do quite well.

"Cross country runners do not come to you any more. You have to walk the halls and ask. You get a lot of "nos." You get 25 "nos' for every "yes.' You have to be a salesman. The best salesmen are the runners themselves. They are developing self-esteem and other good qualities."

As a coach, Chatman is doubling the pleasure of mentoring the Martucci twins.

Now, if he could just remember which is which.

[Last modified September 27, 2005, 02:45:31]