Kickoff to the Next Generation: The Gramatica Legacy Evolves
For the Gramatica family, hard work and athleticism are part of the DNA. In 2003, Martin Gramatica helped lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl victory.
Today, Martin has traded his kicking tee for a whistle — coaching youth soccer, cheering from the sidelines and mentoring his athletic trio: Nico, a kicker at the University of South Florida; Gaston (G), a Cambridge Christian School senior and kicker; and Emme, a seventh grader who’s carving out her own path in one of the fastest-growing sports for girls — flag football.
At just 13, Emme balances a demanding schedule of schoolwork, travel soccer and flag football training, giving a new dimension to the Gramatica football legacy.
The Long Drive
Emme’s athletic schedule is demanding. Weekends typically include several soccer and flag football games. “Sometimes, I go from school to football and then soccer,” she explains. Preparation doesn’t stop after practice — recovery, including ice baths, helps prevent injury and keep her strong.
Emme’s confident the layered efforts are worth it: “I want to make the Olympics.” With flag football set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, that dream feels within reach.
Emme is excited the sport’s popularity continues growing among female athletes, and Martin is proud of Emme’s continued focus and improvement, saying, “Her participation in soccer and flag football is instilling her with discipline, teamwork and confidence.”
Gramatica is something the kids proudly wear on their jerseys but not the reason for their successes. “People assume I’m good at flag football because of my last name, but I have to work for it,” Emme says.
“The only thing we have to get on her case about is taking vitamins; apparently she’d been throwing them out,” Martin laughs. It’s proof that, regardless of a last name, teens are still teens. “Hard work has gotten them where they are. Many times, people wait for a recognizable last name to fail.”
Gramatica's Strong Mental Game
Martin’s perspective on parenting athletes is refreshingly candid. “If kids don’t want it, it doesn’t matter how much parents push,” Martin believes. “If the kids are not willing to get up early, do the work, and recover, a parent cannot force it.” Martin and his wife, Ashlee, who played tennis for USF, believe it’s the parents’ job to support kids along the kids’ journeys.
To Martin, being a strong support system for kids includes honesty — something he views as a cornerstone of growth. “When one of them has a bad game, we talk about it,” he explains. “Sugarcoating isn’t productive, and we use car rides to unpack games.” Martin observes a resistance to critical feedback within youth sports, which is detrimental to athlete development.
Emme appreciates her parents’ forthrightness, “If I have a bad game, they tell me. When I play well, they tell me. They always remind me there’s room for improvement. I like how they push me to be my best.”
Mindset, Martin asserts, is one of an athlete’s most valuable assets. His brother, Santiago, works on kicking technique with the kids so that Martin can focus on helping them appreciate the mental toughness needed for excellence.
He’s intent on Nico, G and Emme understanding that every athlete has misses. “It’s what athletes do after those misses that defines them,” Martin says. “It’s easy for people to criticize online. I encourage them to tune it out, keep working and focus on texts from loved ones.”
Home Field Advantage
The grit the Gramaticas are cultivating in their kids transcends the fields and influences all facets of life, including the classroom. Emme credits her mom — a longtime educational therapist — with keeping her academically grounded. “If I miss class because of sports, my mom helps me learn what I missed.”
Emme enjoys seeing both her brother, G, and her mom on the Cambridge Christian campus. Extra-curriculars are important contributions toward raising well-rounded people, and balance and time management are integral components across one’s life.
At home, family dinners are as important as practices. Sundays, for enjoying an Argentine asado, are especially sacred. Martin, the Spanish radio commentator for the Buccaneers, loves coming home post-game to the fire going for grilling meats, Nico’s USF Football teammates assisting with the cooking, and tons of laughter.
Born in Argentina and living there until age 9, Martin credits the asado as the “family’s way of staying connected.”
Still, competition is a family language and it’s on display in the backyard. Two-on-two soccer games — Emme and Nico versus Martin and G — get heated. Emme shares, “If we win, we celebrate right in their faces.” Martin jokes, “When they start kicking each other, that’s when I stop the game.”
A self-proclaimed sports family, the Gramaticas beautifully blend tournaments and travel to provide platforms for the kids to live their passions. Their stance: If summer vacations revolve around tournaments, it means the kids had great seasons.
With G already committed to USF for the 2026 college football season, there are no signs of scaling back. For the Gramaticas, it’s family first and hard work always.
Playing for More than Points
The Gramatica family is immersed in the movement that is flag football. Martin notes, “Currently, college flag is primarily in smaller programs, but Division I schools will soon follow.” Flag football’s growth and the number of opportunities it’s creating for girls feels personal for Emme.
She’s traveled across the country for tournaments — California to Canton — and even played at the NFL Hall of Fame. “Seeing Hall of Famers and getting to play against girls from all over the country was so much fun,” she says.
Emme is even working on getting her Argentine citizenship so that the opportunities for play are international.
The family’s dedication extends beyond sports. Through the Gramatica Family Foundation, Martin and his brothers build and renovate homes for combat-wounded veterans. “We involve our kids and their teams because it’s important they understand why we do it.”
From one generation to the next, the Gramaticas believe sports build strength, honesty builds character, and family builds legacy.
Originally published in the November 2025 issue of Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine.