Clarksdale High School senior and tennis team captain Allyson Holmes is a coach’s (and parent’s) answered prayer. With a No. 1 district title and a 4.18 GPA, Holmes accredits her work ethic and alignment of priorities to her athletic and academic success.
Before taking a liking to tennis, Holmes played as a shortstop. Entering into sixth grade, she made the decision to focus heavily on tennis after attending a camp her church member and now coach, James Jackson, held each summer.
“When I first started playing, I played doubles and never wanted to play singles. When I started my sophomore year, I had to play singles and developed a preference for it,” says Holmes.
When asked about her most memorable match yet, Holmes spoke of last year’s against Greenwood, trailing 5-2 and making quite the comeback thereafter advancing to state.
She made mention of a couple quotes she repeats silently to herself throughout her matches: “See it. Got it.” and (a staple of her coach) “One ball at a time.” Holmes says whenever she’s behind in a match, she thinks about her success against Greenwood saying, “It keeps me motivated to know that if I did it then, I can do it again.”
Involved in more extracurricular activities and clubs than she could name and with awards received such as “MVP,” “Player of the Year,” and “Most Improved,” Allyson still finds the balance to add a sport (or two) into the mix: basketball and volleyball.
Holmes frequently watches Sloane Stephens and Serena Williams, and she aspires to play for Tougaloo University after graduating.
Coach James Jackson had this to say about his protégé, “Allyson is a very good player. She’s a team player, and she’s extremely motivating, and helpful to her teammates. She has come a long way, and overall, she’s one you want to brag on — a real coach’s kid.”
