Kyle Martino Tackles Something New

Kyle Martino is not yet 30 years old, but he’s already had a lifetime of success.

The Gatorade National Player of the Year at Staples in 1998, he starred at the University of Virginia; was named Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year in 2002; played on the US national team; was David Beckham’s teammate on the Los Angeles Galaxy, and is now one of ESPN’s top soccer announcers — with a shot at calling World Cup matches this summer.

At the same time, he’s forging a career in finance.

Kyle Martino (Photo courtesy of Fairfield County Business Journal)

Martino’s storied careers — on the soccer pitch and on Wall Street — are the subject of a front-page story in the current issue of Fairfield County Business Journal.  Writer Ryan Doran notes that while playing for the Columbus Crew and Galaxy, Martino prepared for life after pro sports by taking classes at Ohio State and UCLA.

He arranged an off-season internship at Lenox Advisors, a wealth advisory firm.  He was mentored by Tom Henske — a Lenox partner who in the 1990s won 3 national championships as the University of Virginia’s goalkeeper.  (In a you-can’t-make-this-up coincidence, Henske now serves as Staples’ goalie coach.)

“The reality of knowing that there is a next chapter after, for a kid who sees his name in neon lights, is that you have to figure things out very quickly after hanging the cleats up,” says Martino.  He figured things out long before his career ended.

Martino hopes to develop a specialty helping athletes manage their money.

He’s kept his ties to the Staples boys soccer program, assisting with training and offering inspirational talks whenever he can.  He’s a great role model for teenagers — whether they want to be professional soccer player, sports broadcaster or financial advisor.

Or all 3.