Jack Martin

John James Martin (February 12, 1917 – December 22, 1977) was an American football, basketball, and track and field coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Southern State Teachers College—later known as Southern State College and the University of South Dakota–Springfield—from 1946 to 1966. He was the athletic director of the university for more than 30 years. He also coached basketball and track at Southern State.

Early life Martin was born in Springfield, South Dakota on February 12, 1917. His mother was Mrs. Theresa Martin, a pioneer of Bon County, South Dakota.

As an athlete at Southern State Normal School, Martin earned varsity letters in three sports. He was the conference pole vault champion in 1937. He earned a master's degree from the University of Iowa in 1949.

Through 1956, he also coached basketball and track as he was the only full-time coach on staff. He was the athletic director until he died in 1977.

Martin was the president of the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference from 1968 to 1972. |group=n|name=1956season conference = 7–0 confstanding = 1st bowlname = bowloutcome = bcsbowl = ranking = no ranking2 = no