Pepper D. Martin, Jr. was born on March 28, 1957 in Winchester, Virginia; the son of Pepper and JoAnn Martin.

He is a 1975 graduate of John Handley High School, where he participated in football, basketball, track, and wrestling.

While attending James Madison College, which later became James Madison University in 1977, he was a four-year letterman for the wrestling team and was named to the dean's list five times during his five years at JMU.

In 1981, Pepper taught health, physical education, and driver's education at James Wood High School in Frederick County, Virginia while also being the head junior varisty basketball coach for one year.

In 1982, the legendary James "Willie" Walters appointed Pepper as a freshman wrestling coach to work along with Clint Jones. As a result of the untimely death of Coach Walters in 1983, future Hall of Famer Jaye Copp took over as head varsity coach for the James Wood wrestling program, and in 1984 he hired Pepper as his varsity assistant coach.

After taking a leave of absence in 1985 to attend graduate school at the University of Virginia, Martin returned to James Wood to assist Coach Copp from 1986 -1993. He also served as a volunteer coach for the Willie Walters Youth Wrestling Club from 1983-1995.

When Sherando High School opened in 1993, Pepper was hired to teach and was named the varsity head coach in both wrestling and baseball, and has served in that capacity for the past 22 years.

In wrestling, his career coaching record is 478 wins and 123 losses with his teams having won nine district /conference championships, five regional championships, and has had five top five finishes at the AA state tournament. Pepper has had the privilege of coaching four individual state champions and 55 state place-winners, as well as 54 district/conference individual champions and 33 regional champions. He also co-founded the Massanutten Matmen Wrestling Club, which is still in existence.

In baseball, Pepper has a career coaching record of 304 wins and 174 losses, and his 2013 team won the AA state championship. He has coached his baseball teams to eight district championships, one Region II cChampionship, and two other AA state semifinal finishes.

Pepper resides in Winchester with his loving wife of over 29 years, Ellen Martin; and has two wonderful sons; Pepper III, age 28, and Bryn, age 24.