TAMPA — When you hear the name Martin Gramatica, you probably think of football.
But the former Buc’s first love was not on the gridiron.
"I grew up playing soccer, that was my first passion, my first love. I love both of them, but soccer was the first,” Gramatica reflected.
That passion for the game never went away.
In July, Gramatica was named the Strikers head coach, a team in the new National Indoor Soccer League.
"This is the hardest part right now because the excitement is there but we don’t have teams. And I can’t wait fo tryouts we're looking for locations, looking for days and as soon as we find that out we’re going to let everyone know because we already have over 100 players registered for tryouts.”
Coaching isn’t new for Gramatica. He’s been a youth soccer coach for the last 15 years here in the Tampa Bay Area, something he will continue to do in his new role.
"I’m doing my job if these kids are better people when they leave my team, if they're a better person when they leave my team then, I’ve done my job. Soccer is secondary.”
Taking lessons he learned from his pro football career to the pitch.
"I think my philosophy is like Coach (Tony) Dungy, family first. We are a family so one of my first rules is they can’t say anything negative about each other, you let the coaches coach. But then on the fiery side, I’m a little more excited. Coach Dungy was so calm and collected, I just can’t do that, that’s not me.”
Gramatica already has a few signings — his goal is to fill the roster with local talent.
"We want to make sure every young kid has a chance to come out to our game, and we’re going to sign local players, that was the biggest thing, we’re not signing players from all over the world, we’re going to sign local talent.”
As he begins this new chapter, he knows his job is about much more than wins and losses.
"You want to make sure when they leave our club or leave your team that they’re better people, that’s what Tony Dungy would tell us, we needed to be better people off the field.”