Spearfish High School girls wrestling coach Joel Martin has retired from coaching, ending a career that spanned nearly three decades and helped shape the foundation of the Spartans’ wrestling programs. This is according to a press release from Spearfish High School.
Martin began coaching in 1995 in Valley City, N.D., before joining the Spearfish School District in 1997 as both a teacher and coach. Over the next 25 years, he led the Spearfish Middle School wrestling program and served as an assistant coach for the varsity boys team, helping develop dozens of athletes who went on to compete at the state level.
In 2022, Martin became the first head coach of the newly sanctioned Spearfish High School girls wrestling program, guiding the Spartans through their inaugural varsity season. His tenure included helping produce 77 state place winners and 15 individual state champions, along with seven top team finishes at the state tournament.
Martin also spent 18 years as an assistant football coach, including time on Spearfish’s 2003 Class AA state championship team.
One of the highlights of his career came in 2021, when Spearfish crowned its first two girls state wrestling champions at the inaugural South Dakota Girls State Tournament — a milestone moment for both the school and the sport statewide.
Martin will continue teaching elementary physical education in the district. The Spearfish Activities Department thanked him for his long‑term service and his impact on generations of Spartan athletes.
