We’re looking forward to introducing you to Knengi Martin. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Knengi, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: When have you felt most loved—and did you believe you deserved it?
I feel most loved when I’m working with kids especially when I work with younger kids. I’m a PE teacher for Montessori school and I work with one and a half year-old through 11 year olds. Kids are genuine and you can know when they really care about you. You can tell when you’re impacting their life and it’s beautiful to watch them grow and they have positive and constructive reinforcement all around them. I believe I deserve the love because kids don’t lie. If I wasn’t pulling my way if I wasn’t making them feel special and supported and respected I wouldn’t get the same feelings back from them in return.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a co owner of the San Diego Rebellion, which is a women’s pro tackle football team. We also host women’s and girls flag football tournaments and camps here in San Diego County.
I myself have been playing women’s tackle football for 24 seasons, and our other owner played for 12 before becoming a HS and JuCo official.
For the Rebellion I wear three hats, owner, player, and head coach. I am lucky to be surrounded by other strong female and male coaches who help me run the organization so that I can still continue playing.
Women’s football is unique because it is still growing in mainstream culture even though it has been around since the 70s. The rebellion was founded in 2019 and we’ve been part of the women’s national football conference since it’s inaugural season in 2019. The Rebellions goal is to help empower girls and women in in Southern California through sports, community and by creating a place or women can be resilient and physical. Our goal is to continue to grow the sport and help give girls and women a place to learn and love football.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
This question is a hard one because as a child I feel like I was on my own a lot. I have a younger sister who is one of the few people who I believe always supported me in the things that I wanted to do, and always made me feel loved and value. The other person was a woman I met when I was a kid, Debbie. She helped teach me how to adult she told me things like cooking cleaning and how to trade chores for rides to things that I needed to be at. She always told me that I had a great personality that brought people to me, I’ve use that in my adult life to help create cultures in the sports teams that I’ve been a part of and at the school where I work with kids. Creating safe spaces for everyone is something that I value and believe I am very good at.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
In 2023 I was in a bad car accident. I was placed on anti-seizure medication and was told that I counldnt play football till i recovered from a concussion. This experience left me very low do the medication. I was angry, I was depressed. Would it do though was it made me reevaluate. I looked at my connections to those around me to the culture that we were building with the San Diego rebellion and I realized that I wanted our program to be founded in love and respect and the desire to see every person in our organization improve both on and off the field.
So while that experience being on medication was one of the lowest in my life because of it I think my interactions with the world and the culture behind the rebellion is stronger than ever could’ve been.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
I think the public version is a very authentic version of me. Like I said earlier when you work with kids you can’t be fake, kids can smell a phone in while away. I was once told that I am a shaman of childlike wisdom in that I find the joy in life and smile often. I try to bring that version of me to my every day life. Life is too short to not be authentic, so I try as best I can to live as my best true self.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that when I’m gone people say that I brought joy to them. That my smile made others smile. As a coach my goal is to lead with love, that means being supportive when I have to be in critical when it’s needed to help make someone their best version of themselves. As a teacher who works with young people my goal is to always empower them with self belief and the knowledge that it’s OK for things to be hard and that practice and working towards what we want is a good thing. I want my story to be but I was a son who helped other shine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sandiegorebellion.com
- Instagram: sandiegorebellion
- Facebook: @sandiegorebellion
- Youtube: @sandiegorebellion7690
Image Credits
Brenda Ingargiola – Team Brenda Photography, HerMedia
