Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
LAUREN HOLMES
FAYETTEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
WHY SHE WON:
It takes talent and versatility to represent your school as a multisport athlete, but that’s no sweat for Fayetteville High School senior Lauren Holmes, who started on the Lady Bulldogs basketball, track and volleyball teams this year. The 18-year-old competitor helped lead all three teams to victory at the Class 7A state championships. Her athletic prowess, her passion for mentoring younger players and her high level of academic achievement are some of the reasons why Holmes capped off her high school career as the 2017 All-Arkansas Preps Female Athlete of the Year.
“Lauren’s desire, dedication and competitive spirit are very unique,” said Steve Janski, director of athletics for the Fayetteville Public Schools. “Regardless of the sport, Lauren’s competitive nature is evident, and her gifted talent is truly fun to watch. Lauren is a perfect choice for All-Arkansas Prep’s Female Athlete of the Year.”
Winning her final game in all three sports was a stunning send-off for the young athlete, said Liz Caudle, assistant athletic director of athletics for the Fayetteville Public Schools.
“It is an amazing accomplishment to be a part of three state championships in one year. Some student athletes do not get an opportunity to win one,” Caudle said. “We are blessed at Fayetteville High School to have student-athletes who are willing to be multisport athletes and help all of our programs be successful. Lauren just wanted to win, and she was willing to fill any role on her teams to help reach that goal.”
Holmes started in basketball and track all three years of her career at Fayetteville, and she helped both teams achieve a previous state championship. She was an all-state basketball player for the past two years, and she was named most valuable player at the Sandra Meadows Classic in Duncanville last December. During her sophomore year, she was the All- Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Newcomer of the Year in basketball. The Lady Bulldogs basketball team is currently ranked No. 10 in the nation.
I give all my thanks to my teammates and my family and my coaches. I just want to do my best in everything I do, especially for my teammates. I never go out on the court or on the field without doing my best every time.” “She is not afraid of the big moment,” Caudle said. “She seems to always shine when the bright lights come on, according to her basketball coach, Vic Rimmer.”
The all-star also excels at track and field. She was named the Class 7A state champion in girls long jump this season. The 5-7, 145-pound athlete holds a personal long-jump record of 18-1. She was named the All- Northwest Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette Track Athlete of the Year for the third consecutive year this season, and she was named Newcomer of the Year in track as a freshman.
Volleyball is a fairly new sport for Holmes, who joined the team for the first time her senior year. Her mother, Alicia McDaniel, said her daughter wanted to experience the sport before going to college and that she had several friends on the team who helped support Holmes as she worked her way up to a starting position.
“Lauren is one of the most naturally gifted athletes I have ever seen,” Caudle said. “She has a unique combination of speed, strength, IQ and leadership. She works incredibly hard and always wants to be the best at anything she does.”
In addition to juggling three sports, Holmes maintained a 3.9 gradepoint average while taking challenging Advanced Placement classes. She was in the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Throughout her high school career, she stayed busy by working at Locomotion Family Fun Center and Mike’s Lawns, as well as working for her mother at Little Caesars Pizza.
Holmes also found time to give back to her community by helping young players shine. She coached a kindergarten and first-grade girls basketball team at the Fayetteville Boys & Girls Club, and she also assisted with kids camps hosted by Arkansas Athletes Outreach.
In July, she will get a head start on her first year at the University of North Texas, where she was awarded a basketball scholarship. There, she will prepare to go to medical school in hopes of becoming an anesthesiologist.
“One thing I’ve always told her is she’s my butterfly, and one day I want to see her spread her wings and fly,” McDaniel said. “I think she’s already started that. I feel that she’s high up there in the sky, and she’s floating around trying to figure out where she’s going to land.”