Carl F. Martin, Jr. is Executive Director of Real Champions Inc. which provides full-time, paid mentors for the most vulnerable children in South Carolina, and is a “Life Coach” with VisionVentures, Inc. Carl has coached officially for 19 years, but has been training, consulting, and equipping people for nearly 40 years. He specializes in helping leaders to clarify their goals, to become more effective in key relationships and in building effective teams. He graduated from Clemson University with a B.A. in Political Science and while there, he was the smallest player on Danny Ford’s 1981 National Championship Football Team. Carl played all four years and lettered two years, playing in every game his junior and senior seasons with a 21-1-1 record. Head Coach Danny Ford is quoted as saying in 1981: “Carl is a super person. Pound for pound, he’s the toughest player on the team and possibly the strongest. He has a lot of pride in his team and this school. It means a lot to us to have a player like Carl Martin on this team.” At the 40th anniversary of that national championship team, Carl was presented the Brian Dawkins life achievement award by coach Dabo Swinney and Jeff Davis, former teammate and NFL Hall of Fame star who runs the Clemson’s, PAW Journey, the mentoring and leadership arm of its athletic department. Carl lives in Ridgeland, South Carolina near Hilton Head Island and enjoys water sports, golfing, snow skiing, reading, traveling, and eating bacon cheeseburgers. He celebrates 42 years with his wife, Peggi Nabors Martin of Greenville SC, a first-grade teacher in Beaufort County. They have one adult daughter, Lauren, son-in-law Benny, two grandsons, and a granddaughter.