Every once in a while in the world of sports, you get a story of someone that emerges seemingly out of nowhere as a breakout star. Often, it’s someone that exemplifies patience and perseverance taking advantage of their opportunity to shine that makes for a solid feel-good story. Unfortunately, in this day and age, with transferring to wherever you can get playing time in prevalence, it is less common, which makes for an even better tale when you find an example, and this season, it has happened close to home in Greer’s senior running back Nicholas ”Nick” Holmes.
Nick’s story has a familiar origin/exposition. He began playing sports very early on and grew up looking up to an older brother that was a star at Dorman (not unlike last week’s spotlight player Keenan Arcega-Whiteside).
Ryshaun Holmes played linebacker for the Cavaliers from 2016-2018, and was part of 129 tackles in 23 career starts over that span, logging 60 solo tackles and 11 for a loss. What does all that have to do with Nick? Well, simply put, watching his big brother was both a key learning experience that he applies to his performance on the field today as well as the thing that inspired him to play football in the first place.
“I started playing sports when I was three. I used to watch my brother play a lot. As a matter of fact, one of the funniest stories I have was watching one of his games when I was younger. Once, they were in the middle of a play and I ran out to the field to try and tackle the guy that had the ball. I learned a good bit from him since he played defense. He taught me how to read what the opposition is doing, which helps me a lot as a running back:, said Nick.
Aside from the time spent watching his big brother and the inspiration that came from it, he says that most of the credit for who he is as both a football player and a person comes from his mother’s influence.
“My mom, Sabrina Benson, has been with me every step of the way. I give her, and really all my family, most of the credit for helping me to grow into who I am. People always tell me I have a one-of-a-kind personality. On top of that, I am a very loving person. I wouldn’t be without her”, said Holmes.
Nick has been on the varsity football team at Greer since the 2021 season. But, over the last 3 seasons, he has had to wait for his moment to shine as the backup running back to LaDainnian Martin, who transferred to JL Mann this year for his senior season. In the span of those three years, Holmes experienced a lot of character growth while doing the opposite of many others in his shoes.
In a day and age where school and charter schools give opportunities for playing time, and despite living in Greenville County – which has no zones as a unified school district, allowing for students to go to any school they choose, Holmes stayed the course with the Greer Yellow Jackets.
“I have always loved Greer. I love coming out of the smoke and walking through the crowd down the bleachers during pregame. It’s my favorite part of the gameday experience at Dooley Field. In the end, I knew I was going to play; that I just needed to be patient. Through it all, I learned to always stay humble and never let myself get a big head. Coach {Will} Young has also taught me how to take accountability for myself and my actions all 4 years I have been here, and all of that has paid off”, said Holmes.
Holmes’ perseverance on the field has certainly paid off, as he has taken full advantage of his moment. Nick is the 4th leading rusher in our area with 758 yards and 12 touchdowns through 7 games, which has garnered him some interest from colleges. While he has not made any commitments, Nicholas says he has two offers, but would rather keep them private for the time being.
Nick’s advice for younger players and athletes who may be facing similar circumstances to his last 3 years is simple yet profound – stick with it.
In his words, “Keep grinding. Your time to shine is gonna come. You just have to be patient and keep working hard.”
Holmes and his Yellow Jackets, who are currently undefeated in region 2-4A, have the weekend off after playing a makeup game at Pickens back on Tuesday night. But, you can catch them back in action as they play for the region championship next Friday in a crucial road matchup at Daniel. Kickoff for that game is set for 7:30.
