24 athletics
TACKLING FAMILY & WORK
FOLLOW THE LEADER Walking on the field before the game, football coach Jon Holmes’ son Hank Holmes follows his dad as he joins the team before the team’s first home game kickoff. That night, the Stags took their first victory of the season with a final score of 23-20 against rival school Saint Thomas Aquinas. | STELLA CAHALAN
Football coach’s son joins the team in his own way EMMA LAZARCZYK
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PHOTO EDITOR
very morning parents say goodbye to their kids as they drop them off at school and go their separate ways for the day. However, for head football coach Jon Holmes, his family is part of his work each and every day. Holmes and his kids show the importance of family by involving themselves in the football team. Holmes said that spending time with family is a special thing for him. “[My family] is a big part of the whole program for me,” Holmes said. “As much time as we are around these players and as much time coaches have to put in this thing, any chance we get to bring our kids around, we’re gonna do it.” Holmes’ son, 4-year-old Hank Holmes, has created a special place for himself on the team. Although he is not an actual player on the team, Hank Holmes participates in football activities and has become a
member of the program. “You never know what mood Hank is going to be in,” Holmes said. “He may be in a mood where he has his whistle around his neck, and he’s blowing his whistle at [the players] to stop talking. He might be in a mood where he has his cleats on and they know he’s a player that day, or he comes out in a helmet. I think that is the best part for the players.” According to Holmes, his family lightens the mood of the games and motivates him to be a role model. “They motivate me because they see me all week, and they see the struggles I’m going through with gameplay stuff, practice stuff,” Holmes said. “They see you coming home late, they see you eating dinner by yourself when they’re getting ready for bed. That’s what’s fun on game day; it’s kind of like pay day.” According to Holmes, being able to see his kids practice alongside with his players is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a coach.
“As a coach it’s great to see how the players interact. Some of them may have younger siblings, but some of them it’s the way they interact. Hank loves Jaylen Burch. He loves him. Jaylen will come over, take a knee and talk to him everyday. Jaylen is one of the guys,” Holmes said. “Hank will come home and he remembers his name. When he watches games, Hank knows his number. Those are the things, as he gets older, that get more fun with him being around because he gets to know these kids too.” Out of the 108 boys in the football program, senior Jaylen Burch has become one of Hank’s closest teammates and role model. “I talk to him everytime I see him and I try to show him love.” Burch said. “He’s excited to see me. We just look forward to seeing each other. We talk about everything. We talk about his super heroes like Captain America and Spiderman.” According to Burch, Hank has an effect on the mood at practice and
