Rogers wrestler off to strong start with two wins
After a conversation with Rogers High School wrestler Michael Holloman, one feels like beginning at the end, where he talks about his years there and what he will remember most.
“Most people don’t know what Rogers is like,” Holloman said. “We’ve got a strong sense of community and people who will always be there for you. It’s not the school with the richest kids or the best houses, but there are really great people there, and it’s a place with great character.”
And that’s pretty much the summary provided by Rogers wrestling coach Shawn Carney when asked about Holloman.
“Every teacher here would love to have about 30 of him,” Carney said. “Every school needs more kids like Michael. There’s just never any concerns about him, nothing about grades, attendance or behavior. And he’s got more going on than any other five kids put together.”
Holloman’s been a three-sport athlete at Rogers, but his freshman and sophomore wrestling seasons were cut short by injuries after promising beginnings. Injury-free his junior year, he qualified for the district tournament as a No. 4 seed, upset the top-seeded wrestler in the semifinals and eventually qualified as an alternate to the state tournament.
He started this season against a pair of 2005 regional competitors, beating one of them in overtime and pinning the other.
During the recently concluded football season, Holloman established both season and career records for tackles as a three-year varsity linebacker whose playing weight was never above 160 pounds, said Carney.
Holloman says his most memorable moments came the first time he took the field for the Pirates football team and when he stepped on the mat for his first varsity wrestling match as a freshman.
“The scary part was not knowing whether I was physically ready,” he said. “I was nervous, but I went hard and realized that I could roll with the big guys.”
Holloman’s athletic accomplishments are only part of his resume. He’s a 3.8 student and has served as a class officer, student representative to the Rogers Site Council and the chairman of the Rogers Link Crew, which mentors incoming freshman students.
He’s also very involved with his church and credits his strong faith with helping him endure the tough times after his injuries.
“That’s pretty much what kept me going, like it always does when things aren’t going my way. Everything I do is about trying to bring glory to God.”
After he graduates, Holloman plans to attend community college locally and get increasingly involved with his church. One thing for sure, he’ll have more time on his hands.
“I think about it sometimes, what it’ll be like when I don’t have sports, and I wonder if I’ll go crazy. Sports has tested me mentally and physically and helped build my character. I wouldn’t be who I am without them. What I’ve given back is my time and my 100 percent commitment.”
Carney wraps it up this way: “It’s easy to imagine Michael as a student and athlete 30 or 40 years ago, just a tough kid who’s always focused, never discouraged and always working. He’s a throwback, a leader, and a kid who meets every challenge.”