University of Minnesota Athletics
Holman Nation; Senior Jerry Holman
1/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jerry Holman is full of surprises. Having joined the Golden Gopher squad last year, he immediately established himself as a key player on the roster. This season, as one of the team's most consistent shot-blockers, Holman remains a frequent starter and notches solid points and rebounds. His popularity, both with the team and with the fans, can be attributed to his signature playing style-nothing pretty, just exciting, confident plays and a big presence.
"My role is to bring energy to the court, to play a lot of aggressive defense, block a lot of shots and score when I can because I'm not the best scorer on the team," Holman said. "I'm not trying to be. I just score at times when my team needs me to."
Sophomore guard Maurice Hargrow, one of Holman's roommates, stressed Holman's purpose of energizing the team despite his natural tendency to be relaxed.
"He is laid-back to the point where you could think he was lazy, but he isn't at all," Hargrow said. "He's the complete opposite on the court-just pure energy."
Coming from St. Paul's Humboldt High School as a star player, the self-described quiet Holman expected to play Division I ball immediately. However, scouts missed the potential Holman had at that point and he enrolled at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. His two coaches there, Coach Gates and Coach Pivec, helped Jerry develop into the player he is today. Donning an attitude not typically found in players who found themselves at the junior college level, Holman is thankful for his years spent at MCTC.
"Playing basketball in high school, you always think that you are better than you really are," Holman said. "At first, I thought of junior college as a setback, but now I love the fact that I went. It opened my eyes to so much, made me mature and helped me work on a lot of things in my game that I needed to."
Playing with his junior college team, Holman set goals for himself just like he had his whole life. It was his aim to win both the division title and the tournament title his final year there. Although the team neglected to capture the tournament title by just one loss, they were undefeated the rest of the season. According to Holman, it was a heartbreaker, but since one of his goals was accomplished, it was a gratifying experience.
Not only did Holman have his success with MCTC to attract attention to his newly-honed skills on the court, but he also had the chance to go to a junior college basketball camp that was meant to give quality players recognition among big-time coaches. Holman calls this camp his best basketball experience because he feels his exhibition there gained him the credit he had been working for-a chance to play with the Gophers.
The transition, however, wasn't so easy for Holman. He said many people didn't believe in his playing at a higher level. So, it was up to him to surprise the skeptics. The academic expectations were more demanding, and due to the team's stringent practice schedule, Holman was left with very little time to himself-something he covets fiercely. Holman said he spent a lot of time calling his mom, trying to deal with the newfound stress, and spending wisely whatever leisure time he did have.
"With a year of experience, I know how to balance my own time around class, basketball and weights pretty well now," Holman said. "I just always remember that I don't have much time to myself, so I don't do anything stupid with my time off. I lay down, rest, play video games and try to make it count."
Holman is adamant about making every day and action count, and he said the best way to ensure that is to set clear goals. Among the things that have been most important in Holman's life-such as graduating from college and playing basketball at this level-have been accomplished by establishing and accomplishing goals in determined fashion.
"I don't want to be the kind of person who lives from day to day and doesn't have any goals," Holman said. "I have to be my own person and I have to go my own way, but I'm not going to do that without setting goals for myself. It has worked in the past, so it will work in the future."
However, Holman also matter-of-factly separates goals and dreams. He said that goals are things you set your mind to and work toward, but dreams are things that may or may not be unattainable, but they are worth striving toward regardless.
"I feel like I have to set goals for myself or I'll be doing things for nothing. Like going to school-I want to go to the league (NBA), but I didn't go to school all these years for nothing," Holman said. "This is my fifth year here, and I know I didn't to go to school for five years not to graduate. So my dream is to play in the league but my goal is to graduate."
In relation to the Maroon and Gold, Holman's goal this year is to win the Big Ten title. He said he feels that the team is good enough and the last few weeks of practice have gone really well. The team has had its ups and downs, Holman said, but that is the same with any team. Holman said he has faith that their hard work in practice will see all the kinks worked out in time to call themselves Big Ten Champions.
"I think we have a really good chance for the Big Ten. Actually, we're going to win it. That is my main focus right now," Holman said. "I know going to the tournament should be our main goal, but mine is to win the Big Ten. I didn't come here just to say I came here and played. I want to know that I accomplished something."
In accomplishing these goals, Holman said he turns to his role models for guidance and support. These models, his two coaches from junior college, are in constant contact with Holman, whether by attending each other's games or telephoning. Holman said that Gates and Pivec both know he has come a long way and that they have taught him many of the tools instrumental to his success now.
Considering role models have had such a distinct impact upon his own life, Holman said he is determined to himself be a role model to children. As a commercial park recreation major, Holman's main career interest (aside from the NBA) is to operate facilities that cater to children's need to play and imagine. He said he likes to work with kids, make them happy and set an example for them. In an age illustrated by athletes acting out and major stars like Charles Barkley shunning the idea of being a role model, it is a task Holman willingly accepts.
This is the point in the interview where Jerry sits up a little bit straighter, the other half of the smile kicks in and his voice becomes punctuated with excitement.
"I try to carry myself in an appropriate way because I know kids might try to carry themselves in the same way," Holman said. "I try to be responsible and do the right thing around them, give them advice so that they can make good choices and tell their friends and families what they've learned. I just try to do little things."
Considering Holman's love for children, perhaps it is fitting that the largest "fan club" of any Minnesota player is called Jerry's Kids. This group, which increased staggeringly from last year to this year, emerged virtually at the onset of Holman's Gopher career. They're hard to miss with their matching t-shirts in the student section, especially with their booming "Jer-ry! Jer-ry!" chants that motivate Holman to perform even better.
"I think being a crowd favorite gives Jerry energy and momentum. When the fans start yelling his name, he loves it, he works harder for them," roommate Aaron Robinson said.
Holman himself said he was surprised that he had such a following, but loves it nonetheless. It's more fame than he had envisioned himself having, he said, and he laughs as he wonders aloud if they'll start making posters next. Holman said he is just speculating, but he admits the reason Jerry's Kids formed so quickly might be because he came off the bench with such swiftness and spark last year that he gained their respect.
"It makes you feel good when they chant your name, makes you want to come out and make the crowd smile, get everybody up and thank them, but you have to hold it in because you have to play," Holman said.
It's the end of the interview, and there's one last question to ask Holman, who has reverted back to his one-leg-stretched, semi-grinning position.
What about that dunk?
"I just taught myself how to dunk with two hands. I've always been told it is easier to do it with one leg, one arm, but I think if you go up as strong as you can with two hands, nobody can knock the ball away from you," Holman said. "That's why it's with two. I guess it's my patented move. I'm used to it."
The dunk is pure Holman-powerful, aggressive, a warning sign to other teams that there will be no domination of his game.
Hargrow walks into the living room, singing to himself and pauses just to add his input about what he thinks is pure Holman.
"You want to know what Jerry's like? Look at how he's sitting," Hargrow said. "It describes perfectly how he always is when he's not playing ball. Who would have guessed it?"
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kimberly Jackson As senior Jerry Holman leans slowly back onto his couch, wearing sweats and with a hands-free phone set draped around his neck, his arms raise and hands fold behind his head; one leg stretches out and his face spreads into a half-smile. He keeps this disposition for the bulk of the interview, occasionally separating his hands and gesturing to emphasize his answers. His steady, low voice and matter-of-fact responses don't so much as hint at the aggressive, energizing Jerry Holman seen in "The Barn," a large chunk of the student section chanting his name. He's not loud, flashy or boisterous. This is the real Jerry, which might come as a surprise to some fans. But as the old adage goes, you can't judge a basketball player by his two-handed dunk.
Jerry Holman is full of surprises. Having joined the Golden Gopher squad last year, he immediately established himself as a key player on the roster. This season, as one of the team's most consistent shot-blockers, Holman remains a frequent starter and notches solid points and rebounds. His popularity, both with the team and with the fans, can be attributed to his signature playing style-nothing pretty, just exciting, confident plays and a big presence.
"My role is to bring energy to the court, to play a lot of aggressive defense, block a lot of shots and score when I can because I'm not the best scorer on the team," Holman said. "I'm not trying to be. I just score at times when my team needs me to."
Sophomore guard Maurice Hargrow, one of Holman's roommates, stressed Holman's purpose of energizing the team despite his natural tendency to be relaxed.
"He is laid-back to the point where you could think he was lazy, but he isn't at all," Hargrow said. "He's the complete opposite on the court-just pure energy."
Coming from St. Paul's Humboldt High School as a star player, the self-described quiet Holman expected to play Division I ball immediately. However, scouts missed the potential Holman had at that point and he enrolled at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. His two coaches there, Coach Gates and Coach Pivec, helped Jerry develop into the player he is today. Donning an attitude not typically found in players who found themselves at the junior college level, Holman is thankful for his years spent at MCTC.
"Playing basketball in high school, you always think that you are better than you really are," Holman said. "At first, I thought of junior college as a setback, but now I love the fact that I went. It opened my eyes to so much, made me mature and helped me work on a lot of things in my game that I needed to."
Playing with his junior college team, Holman set goals for himself just like he had his whole life. It was his aim to win both the division title and the tournament title his final year there. Although the team neglected to capture the tournament title by just one loss, they were undefeated the rest of the season. According to Holman, it was a heartbreaker, but since one of his goals was accomplished, it was a gratifying experience.
Not only did Holman have his success with MCTC to attract attention to his newly-honed skills on the court, but he also had the chance to go to a junior college basketball camp that was meant to give quality players recognition among big-time coaches. Holman calls this camp his best basketball experience because he feels his exhibition there gained him the credit he had been working for-a chance to play with the Gophers.
The transition, however, wasn't so easy for Holman. He said many people didn't believe in his playing at a higher level. So, it was up to him to surprise the skeptics. The academic expectations were more demanding, and due to the team's stringent practice schedule, Holman was left with very little time to himself-something he covets fiercely. Holman said he spent a lot of time calling his mom, trying to deal with the newfound stress, and spending wisely whatever leisure time he did have.
"With a year of experience, I know how to balance my own time around class, basketball and weights pretty well now," Holman said. "I just always remember that I don't have much time to myself, so I don't do anything stupid with my time off. I lay down, rest, play video games and try to make it count."
Holman is adamant about making every day and action count, and he said the best way to ensure that is to set clear goals. Among the things that have been most important in Holman's life-such as graduating from college and playing basketball at this level-have been accomplished by establishing and accomplishing goals in determined fashion.
"I don't want to be the kind of person who lives from day to day and doesn't have any goals," Holman said. "I have to be my own person and I have to go my own way, but I'm not going to do that without setting goals for myself. It has worked in the past, so it will work in the future."
However, Holman also matter-of-factly separates goals and dreams. He said that goals are things you set your mind to and work toward, but dreams are things that may or may not be unattainable, but they are worth striving toward regardless.
"I feel like I have to set goals for myself or I'll be doing things for nothing. Like going to school-I want to go to the league (NBA), but I didn't go to school all these years for nothing," Holman said. "This is my fifth year here, and I know I didn't to go to school for five years not to graduate. So my dream is to play in the league but my goal is to graduate."
In relation to the Maroon and Gold, Holman's goal this year is to win the Big Ten title. He said he feels that the team is good enough and the last few weeks of practice have gone really well. The team has had its ups and downs, Holman said, but that is the same with any team. Holman said he has faith that their hard work in practice will see all the kinks worked out in time to call themselves Big Ten Champions.
"I think we have a really good chance for the Big Ten. Actually, we're going to win it. That is my main focus right now," Holman said. "I know going to the tournament should be our main goal, but mine is to win the Big Ten. I didn't come here just to say I came here and played. I want to know that I accomplished something."
In accomplishing these goals, Holman said he turns to his role models for guidance and support. These models, his two coaches from junior college, are in constant contact with Holman, whether by attending each other's games or telephoning. Holman said that Gates and Pivec both know he has come a long way and that they have taught him many of the tools instrumental to his success now.
Considering role models have had such a distinct impact upon his own life, Holman said he is determined to himself be a role model to children. As a commercial park recreation major, Holman's main career interest (aside from the NBA) is to operate facilities that cater to children's need to play and imagine. He said he likes to work with kids, make them happy and set an example for them. In an age illustrated by athletes acting out and major stars like Charles Barkley shunning the idea of being a role model, it is a task Holman willingly accepts.
This is the point in the interview where Jerry sits up a little bit straighter, the other half of the smile kicks in and his voice becomes punctuated with excitement.
"I try to carry myself in an appropriate way because I know kids might try to carry themselves in the same way," Holman said. "I try to be responsible and do the right thing around them, give them advice so that they can make good choices and tell their friends and families what they've learned. I just try to do little things."
Considering Holman's love for children, perhaps it is fitting that the largest "fan club" of any Minnesota player is called Jerry's Kids. This group, which increased staggeringly from last year to this year, emerged virtually at the onset of Holman's Gopher career. They're hard to miss with their matching t-shirts in the student section, especially with their booming "Jer-ry! Jer-ry!" chants that motivate Holman to perform even better.
"I think being a crowd favorite gives Jerry energy and momentum. When the fans start yelling his name, he loves it, he works harder for them," roommate Aaron Robinson said.
Holman himself said he was surprised that he had such a following, but loves it nonetheless. It's more fame than he had envisioned himself having, he said, and he laughs as he wonders aloud if they'll start making posters next. Holman said he is just speculating, but he admits the reason Jerry's Kids formed so quickly might be because he came off the bench with such swiftness and spark last year that he gained their respect.
"It makes you feel good when they chant your name, makes you want to come out and make the crowd smile, get everybody up and thank them, but you have to hold it in because you have to play," Holman said.
It's the end of the interview, and there's one last question to ask Holman, who has reverted back to his one-leg-stretched, semi-grinning position.
What about that dunk?
"I just taught myself how to dunk with two hands. I've always been told it is easier to do it with one leg, one arm, but I think if you go up as strong as you can with two hands, nobody can knock the ball away from you," Holman said. "That's why it's with two. I guess it's my patented move. I'm used to it."
The dunk is pure Holman-powerful, aggressive, a warning sign to other teams that there will be no domination of his game.
Hargrow walks into the living room, singing to himself and pauses just to add his input about what he thinks is pure Holman.
"You want to know what Jerry's like? Look at how he's sitting," Hargrow said. "It describes perfectly how he always is when he's not playing ball. Who would have guessed it?"
Written by Media Relations Student Assistant Kimberly Jackson
