It’s All in the Family : Prep soccer: Temple City High’s Erin Martin, who set a state scoring record, is coached by her father, Bill.

Erin Martin expected criticism after she earned a starting job as a freshman on the Temple City High girls’ soccer team two years ago.

Martin, though, had confidence in her ability, and so did her father and coach.

The problem was the coach is her father.

“Before the start of the season, people said, ‘She made varsity because she’s the coach’s daughter,’ � Martin said. “There was pressure to impress people, and I was trying to prove that I deserved it.�

It did not take long.

Martin set two Southern Section records as a freshman, scoring nine goals in a game and 60 during the season. She was named the 2-A Division offensive player of the year.

Last season, Martin, a 5-foot-5 forward, scored 62 goals.

“In the beginning, there was the concern about treating her differently,� said Bill Martin, who also coaches Erin on the track team.

“People who had never seen her play assumed she was on the team because of her dad,� he said. “There were never any doubts about her ability after the first few games. As time went on, they began to refer to me as Erin’s father more often than calling her the coach’s daughter.�

Now a junior, Martin has set one state record and tied two others.

Despite the cancellation of the final regular-season match because of rain, she finished with 88 goals in 24 games to break the Southern Section scoring mark of 62 she set last year and the state record of 63, held by Brenda Patterson, who did it in 23 games in 1987 for Tracy High in Northern California.

However, Martin’s season is not over.

Friday, Martin scored twice in Temple City’s 3-0 victory over Mira Costa in the first round of the 3-A playoffs. She has scored in 23 of 25 games.

Temple City (18-5-2), the Rio Hondo League runner-up, will play host to Alemany (19-4-2) of Mission Hills in the second round of the 3-A playoffs Wednesday. Martin could play four more times if the Rams reach the championship game.

Martin, who had 11 goals in a 13-0 victory over San Gabriel in December to tie a nine-year-old state record, surpassed Patterson’s mark in 17 games. The national record is 106 set by Shannon Stiewert of El Paso Coronado High in 1989.

“The records were not goals of mine,� said Martin, recently selected to the 17-and-under West Region Olympic Development team by the National Soccer Coaches Assn. for the second year in a row. “It just happened.�

“I don’t know if I’ve improved some or had some luck, but it helps to have people playing as a team and working to get the ball to you.�

Martin has shown she is more than a scorer. She equaled a state record with six assists in a game as a sophomore.

Martin has 212 goals in her career and is closing on the state record of 225 held by Carin Jennings of Palos Verdes.

Martin lives in the Arcadia High district but chose to enroll at Temple City, following her sister.

“It was my decision,� Martin said. “I’m sure I thought about the rumors (spawned by playing for her father) and soccer, but the reason I wanted to go there was because it was a smaller school. I had gone to Arcadia schools all along and just needed a change.�

When she arrived at Temple City, Martin never had difficulty earning the respect of her teammates.

“There was a lot of talk about her coming, but I’m just glad that she’s here,� senior sweeper Krissy Brown said.

“Her dad has never played favorites, and she doesn’t walk around like she’s special. She’s so competitive and dedicated. She always gives everything she has.�

Bill, 46, wanted to give more of his time to Erin, who began playing soccer at age 6. He stepped down as an assistant football coach at Temple City in 1986 after 18 seasons.

Even though he never played soccer, Bill became enamored of the sport.

He took over the girls’ soccer program in 1988 when Erin was in the eighth grade. The Rams won the 2-A title in his first season. Temple City has won league championships in four of the past five years and advanced to the 3-A quarterfinals the past two seasons.

But when the season concludes, father and daughter still figure to see a lot of each other. Besides seeing him on the track, Erin is in one of his classes for the first time in the spring semester--albeit reluctantly.

“He’s the only one who teaches anatomy,� Erin said. “I’d probably take somebody else if I had a choice. I’m used to being around him all the time now, and it shouldn’t be too different. It is going to be real interesting.�