Former Moorestown football star and Gettysburg College Hall of Athletic Honor inductee Paul Martin credited his township roots – discipline, coaching and support from teammates and the community – for his success.
Former Moorestown High School football standout Paul Martin has been officially inducted into the Gettysburg College Hall of Athletic Honor after a career as one of the most dominant running backs in program history.
The ceremony took place during the college’s homecoming weekend on Oct. 3. Reflecting on the honor, Martin credited his township roots with laying the foundation of his success.
“Moorestown was where it all started – the discipline, the coaching and the support from teammates and the community,” Martin said. “Those early lessons shaped how I approached football, business and life. This honor belongs as much to the people who supported me in Moorestown as it does to me.”
During his collegiate career, Martin was known for his relentless drive, powerful running style and leadership that helped propel Gettysburg to national prominence. His hall of honor induction celebrates not only his record-setting achievements, but also his lasting impact on the college’s Gettysburg football program and the student-athlete community.
“All the years of work were worth it,” Martin noted. “People around me always said that I worked too hard and I didn’t allow myself to have enough fun, and I was always told that I was going to regret that someday. But that’s never been how I’ve lived my life. It’s always been (about) striving for the next goal, and I enjoy that. I enjoy mapping out a plan on how to get to my next goal …
“This honor really validated that commitment and showed that staying focused and working hard on your goals pays off.”
A 1982 graduate of Moorestown High, Martin made a name for himself during the single most successful season in the history of Gettysburg football. Over his first three seasons, he carried the ball just 68 times for 316 yards.
After two games in 1985, he had nearly bested both of those totals, posting 64 carries for 322 yards and heading to a program record 1,727 yards – an achievement no other Bullet back has come within 150 yards of in the 40 years since.
Martin also established the program mark for touchdowns that year with 15. His 1,349 yards during the regular season was fifth in Division III and, as a team, Gettysburg ranked No. 3 in the nation that season. Martin eclipsed the 100-yard barrier in 10 of 13 games, carrying the team into the national semifinals for the only time in program history.
But Martin emphasized how none of that success would have been possible without Moorestown.
“Those years playing high-school football, it really taught me about discipline, it taught me teamwork, and it taught me how much character matters when no one’s watching,” he explained. “ … When you truly want something and when it’s literally a visceral goal, you have to go all in.
“In the pursuit of goals or in the pursuit of greatness in anything, I still believe focus and commitment are everything.”
Martin went on to a successful career in business and leadership, founding Martin Healthcare Advisors, a nationally recognized advisory firm serving the rehabilitation and health-care industries. He continues to support athletics and leadership development for young people, carrying forward the lessons that began on the fields of Moorestown.
“Football gave me the blueprint for success in life,” he noted. “It showed me that if you just continue to work and pray and envision what you want to have someday, it can come true.”
