KNOWN TO MANY as Coach Hammer, Martin Antonio’s path from playing on neighborhood streets to becoming a standout for the San Beda Red Lions defined his career as a sports analyst and strength coach. Now, he forges ahead with a podcast on GMA Sports, where he’ll share insights and expertise gained from his experience throughout the years. 

Filled with punchy lines, fearless takes, and an intense sense of humor, words come easily for Coach Martin “Hammer” Antonio. But beyond that facade is years of cultivation, from the academe and athletics, to finally the colorful world of sports broadcasting.  

Humble beginnings 

Coach Hammer is a proud Bedan athlete who started his professional journey as a key player of the renowned San Beda Red Lions from 2003 to 2008. He developed his passion for the exhilarating sport at a very young age, dedicating most of his time to playing and honing his athletic edge out of positive peer pressure.  

May it be an improvised court at the corner of the streets, inter-barangay games, or at school, the young coach manifested his love for the sport through “continuous playing.” However, while he actively plays basketball at every opportunity he can, he also dedicates an adequate time to setting his life goals besides hoops. As such, throughout his secondary education in a highly academic catholic school, he garnered good grades and even scored exemplary aptitude examinations. 

He also recalled exhibiting aspirations and interest in the medical field, as he mentioned how he was “supposedly aiming to enter medical school.” Not until he grew to some reasonable height with the potential of being a great basketball player, young Martin set aside the medical dream to fully delve into the professional sports career.  

Arrival at the Lion’s Den 

Now with the opportunity to pursue his studies while hooping, Coach Hammer took a path that propelled him into the stratum of San Beda basketball legends.  

His height advantage led him to take up Marketing and Corporate Communications–a far cry from his interest in medicine. Eventually, he pursued a business-related program at then-San Beda College on an athlete scholarship program in 2003, thus becoming a full-blown Bedan athlete despite the Red Lion’s title drought. 

The true-blooded Bedan alumni had spoken highly about the days he spent within the walls of San Beda, articulating how he “enjoyed” his college journey as he “got along with professors.”  

However, seizing the opportunity of being a full-time athlete scholar, he had a “tough” chapter in his Bedan journey as he had “trouble balancing” his academic and sports life. Aside from that, Coach Hammer also recalled how his participation for two other professional basketball teams, the Philippine Basketball League (PBL) and the Youth team, also contributed to his struggle of balancing academic and sports responsibilities.  

It was not always a clear path. Coach Martin even shared how he was once a goal and ambition-oriented boy, while boldly stating how he had “failed” his first year in tertiary education. This failure hindered him from playing for a year, specifically in Season 80 when the Red Lions entered final-four contention after a long drought. 

Not treating this as a permanent setback, Coach Hammer stood up amidst all adversities and triumphed over his deficiency, reaping all the lessons that his experiences brought upon him, and utilized it in the path he now traversed, as he went on to acquire a post-graduate diploma at the University of the Philippines (UP). 

Walking the talk with the ‘Game On!’ podcast 

With such an illustrious history at San Beda, leaving also in his wake a significant mark in Philippine collegiate basketball, it was now ripe for Coach Hammer to take his broadcasting and analysis repertoire to the next level—this time, into a podcast which delves into all things sports related. 

Joined by two other veterans, Martin Javier and Anton Roxas who are equipped with the techniques necessary to provide informative and witty sports commentaries, Coach Hammer tied the dynamic trio together by showing off his years of expertise, not just as a former Red Lion, but also as a strength and conditioning coach. 

Consequently, he underscored the relevance of not just the world of color casting but also people from the media in general. “Being in media, you have a big responsibility, it’s the same as being an athlete. You have to be able to deliver what is asked for, [and] you have to give the right information – the truth,” he said.  

Recalling his journey from being a basketball player to a coach, mentor, and analyst, Coach Hammer remained “grateful” as his main passion worked out for him in the long run, continuing ‘til date with him entering projects such as the Game On podcast. “I am very fortunate that something that I love, really…panned out. I can say that basketball…is something that I really love,” he shared. 

In responding to the individuals who shared their dissatisfaction with his candid takes, Coach Martin rebutted this by saying, “I don’t care about criticisms because as much as I love my school [San Beda], I know the truth. And if they’re not playing up to par, they’re not playing up to par. You can’t sugarcoat it.” 

Since airing its pilot episode last April 12, the Game On podcast has consistently uploaded fresh takes and episodes weekly, contributing to a greater appreciation for basketball and sports in general. 

From dominating the hard court to governing the analysts’ table, Coach Martin can do it all. Most importantly, he is now bound to influence the sports podcasting world, living up to his Bedan roots and setting a proud example for the next generation of hungry Lions.  

(with Prince Tagarino)