Bill Martell of Walnut Creek, Calif. has been awarded the Order of Merit by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame    The Order of Merit is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the advancement of wrestling, other than success as an athlete or coach. The winner is selected by a vote of the Distinguished Members of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.    Bill Martell has impacted the sport of wrestling as both a coach and administrator. Martell was an all-city football and baseball player at Lincoln High School on his way to earning the school's athlete of the year award in 1951.     Since 1955, Martell has actively been coaching at all levels and styles. He served as head coach of the U.S. Elite Team and was in charge of the U.S. Junior World Team one year later.    During that time, Martell served a two-year stint as president of the NCAA Wrestling Coaches Association. In addition, Martell has sat on the USA Wrestling Board of Directors and has chaired the National Greco-Roman Committee.    An assistant coach at the 1985 World Championships in Oslo, Norway, Martell served as the team leader at the 1986 Senior World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In 1987, he was an assistant for the World Cup squad that traveled to Athens, Greece and was head coach for the U.S. team that took part in the 1990 World Championships in Rome.    After serving as commissioner of the United States Olympic Committee Sports Festival in 1991, Martell coached the 1992 Junior World Team as well as the 1993 and 1995 World Cup squads. Martell was an assistant coach for the 1996 Olympic Greco-Roman squad in Atlanta and has served as director of the California Senior Development Program since 1997.    Martell has put on clinics at the NCAA Championships, across the state of California as well as numerous countries around the world. Martell has authored numerous published works, including "Teaching Kids to Wrestle" and "Greco-Roman Wrestling."    Among the awards presented to Martell throughout his career are the NCAA Wrestling Coaches Association Gavel Award, and 25-Year Service Award. He was named AAU's International Man of the Year in 1982 and the FILA Diamond Pin Award. Among the awards Martell has received from USA Wrestling are the 1987 Certificate of Recognition, the 1988 Special Service Award and the Board of Directors Service Award.