Marty Atkinson is the third member of her family to be inducted into the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame, joining grandfather Ernie Sander and sister Amy Atkinson-Viera. Atkinson had a very active athletic career at Napa High as a four-year track and volleyball star and a three-year basketball standout. Atkinson was an outstanding performer for the track team. During her career, she broke school records in the long jump and the 300-meter low hurdles. She was also a participant in the state high school meet in 1989. Atkinson’s favorite sport, and the one she devoted the most time to, was volleyball. She played four years at Napa High, three as a varsity starter for coach Barbara Franco. During her tenure at Napa High, Atkinson was Most Valuable Player at least one year in all three sports and was captain of both the volleyball and track teams. As a senior, she was named Athlete of the Year in 1989. In addition to her athletic achievements, Atkinson was a student officer during each of her years as an undergraduate student. She was Homecoming Queen in her senior year. Perhaps this comment from Atkinson’s senior advisor Paul Hoover says it all: “Marty has been a major player in this year’s senior class since her ninth grade. She has been involved in every class activity for four years and this class will rank as one of the best classes ever to graduate from Napa High. Marty is one of the reasons…Marty is an example of all that is good about our young people.”
