Player of the Month: June

Martin Jimenez began his playing career for Pasadena Rugby in 1994. Legend has it; he frequented the John Bull, a smarmy bar that allowed the types of shenanigans that only rugby players could appreciate and soccer players lament. It was here that our own Mike Aston was a bartender, bouncer and poet laureate. Being an absentminded professor type of a bloke, Martin occasionally found himself in the women’s bathroom and Aston would surgically extract him. Martin was given an ultimatum (this is also where Robert Ludlum obtained the idea for the book, the Bourne Ultimatum) leave the bar forever or come play rugby. And a legend was born.

In 1995, Martin was named Rookie of the Year. His initial years at Pasadena, he played primarily on the wing. His quickness and devastating “juke” won him respect from both teammates and opponents. A series of injuries, namely a torn medial and lateral meniscus and a torn ACL found his playing time limited in 1998 season and he took a brief "rest." His rehab brought him back stronger, but his, cough cough…advanced…er…age…saw him drop a step or two in the speed department. His move to Flyhalf was partly due to frustrations that the PRFC playing style didn’t get the ball to the wings often enough for his taste and partly due to necessity after our starting back line was decimated. In 2002, Martin was voted the backs captain and helped lead Pasadena to the DIII SO Cal Championship. Martin played one more year when injuries (split ends and a torn labia majora) forced him to retire.

Martin married his beautiful wife, Andrea in 2007… well… to be more accurate…I suppose Andrea allowed Martin to marry her. They live in Altadena and have a gorgeous daughter Sofia, who was born 9/17/2006. Martin has been seen out to 7’s practice lately, but you will usually find him cooking, drinking tequila and watching soccer. Oddly, you can also find him mowing, picking weeds and generally taking care of the landscape. NOOOOOOOO, not because he is Mexican… he genuinely enjoys gardening. Martin is the last of the renaissance rugby players. He is equally at ease on the field as he is painting a portrait.

Oops, Tanner