For all involved, it was an agonizing split.
“We’re going to miss Graham; we’re all really heartbroken,” said Cookie Martinez, Felipe’s mom, Thursday evening, April 29. “It was a really hard struggle for us, but I had to go where I had to go to take care of my family.”
Graham coach Jeff Jordan said he understood completely.
“Felipe’s family is having some major issues and his mom just got a great job in Toledo in the nursing field, which will allow her to make the money she desperately needs to support her family,” he said.
“I told her, ‘Family is first. And Felipe has to be with his family.’ He has to go with his mom, and there isn’t any doubt he would go. Plus his grandparents on both sides are up there.”
That doesn’t make it any easier to go for Felipe, who was 83-2 in his two years with the Falcons.
“Coach Jordan wasn’t just his coach; he was his friend; he was his father when his father wasn’t around,” said Cookie. “He helped us out so much, just like we were his family.
“We have family here (in Toledo), so it wasn’t a hard choice to make in the end. But I look at Coach Jordan and his family as my family, because that’s how they made us feel.”
Now Jordan must fill a big hole in the lineup, and in the hearts of his wrestlers.
“Is it terrible that Felipe is not here at Graham? Yes; it’s terrible for me, for the team for our school,” admitted Jordan.
“He’s been coming to my camps since third grade. What a natural talent that young man is. The team is going to miss him terribly.
“But he needs to win those two more state titles and get to college, and wrestling is his ticket out.”
He just won’t be doing it for Graham.
“He’s one of the best high school wrestlers I have ever coached, and I’ve coached some good ones,” said Jordan.
Felipe’s mom said the Graham family had a lot to do with that.
“He definitely gained discipline, hard work and teamwork from Coach Jordan,” said Cookie. “It’s kind of hard for (Felipe) to leave Graham. He doesn’t like to talk about it too much. He’s kind of glad he’s back home with the family, but we are not sure yet where he is going.
“He’ll be going to Oregon Clay for the rest of the year. But I was raised in Genoa. That’s where I’d like to go, but I can’t say for sure where we’ll end up at.
“His goal has always been to win two state titles. But to go and make those two happen made the dream seem more reachable. It brought him up to another level.
“We’re going to really miss Graham and coach Jordan and the whole Graham family.”
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