Martin D. O’Brien was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. Marty’s first basketball influence came from older brother Denny, an All-City player for Jud Heathcote at West Valley High School. Marty played varsity baseball three years and basketball two years for North Central High school, graduating in 1962. In basketball, as a senior, Marty led the city in scoring and was first team all-city under coach Jerry Stannard.
Marty went on to play three years of varsity baseball as Eastern Washington State College for Ed Chissus. Marty earned a Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education in 1967.
In 1970, the Ephrata School District hired Marty as a Physical Education teacher in the junior high. Soon after moving to Ephrata, Marty met Dave Johnson. This perfect partnership would eventually produce a combined nine ( eight baseball, one basketball) of the school’s 19 state titles. Marty is also the only one of only two assistant coaches inducted into the Washington Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.
After serving seven years as an assistant coach for Jim Livengood, now Athletic Director at the University of Arizona, Marty took over the Ephrata basketball team in 1980. From the beginning, Marty’s teams played all out, hustling for rebounds, diving for loose balls and shot up opposing team’s defenses like berserk gunmen. With the aid of the three point, line in 1992-93 season the Tigers averaged over 88 points a game, capped by a 124 point outburst against Lake Roosevelt.
Marty has many strengths but the driving force is his tremendous enthusiasm – Marty O’Brien never has an average day. He was also a master motivator and teacher. Above all, Marty refused to compromise his values; he never cheated or cut corners. Instead, Marty demanded excellence and told his charges they must always strive to be the best. Players received invaluable instruction. on subjects like respect, setting and achieving goals, and possessing a strong work ethic. Marty did the single most important thing in coaching; he turned out educated kids who are ready for society.
Marty stepped down as head basketball coach in 2000. During his 20 year tenure, Ephrata was 340
– 178, an average of 17 wins per season. O’Brien captured six league titles, one district crown and the 1993 State “A” Championship-. His teams went to state. eight times, bringing back a total six trophies ( one first, two third places, two fifth places and one seventh). He was also the winningest basketball coach in school history.
Now retired after teaching and coaching 32 years in the same school district, Marty can spend more time with his wife of 40 years, Judy. Family is extremely important to Marty. He and wife Judy have three sons; Shawn, Kelly and Devin. The oldest, Shawn and his wife Laura Lea have given Marty three grandchildren; Darby, Dylan and Derek.
Perhaps Travis King summed it up best. After leading Ephrata in the 1993 State Championship game, and becoming the state’s all-time career scoring leader, a reporter asked King his opinion of Marty. “’Mr. O’Brien? Well, he’s a great coach,” said King. “But he’s an even better person.”
Dan Keenan , a former sportswriter from the Grant County Journal wrote this bio.
