Mike Holloway: Walk Softly and Carry A Big Bat

His ability to command the utmost respect from his athletes and master the art of “peaking” has allowed Coach Holloway to arguably take his place on Florida’s Mt. Rushmore of coaches. (UAA photo)

By LOREN MEADOWS

GatorBaitMedia.com

In a season where most Florida fans have their attention focused on the ball diamonds of Baseball and Softball, a quiet presence has continued to dominate the track and field world to dynastic proportions — a diamond in its own right, perhaps.

Mike “Mouse” Holloway is at the helm of one of the nation’s top track and field programs. His ability to command the utmost respect from his athletes and master the art of “peaking” has allowed Coach Holloway to arguably take his place on Florida’s Mt. Rushmore of coaches.

With 12 combined national titles, the Holloway name is worthy and can easily be mentioned in the same lane as Spurrier, Donovan, and Meyer.

While Coach Holloway has been in the Gainesville area for over 40 years, it was on the tracks of Columbus, Ohio where he first experienced championship success. Holloway was a quiet, small, middle school athlete who seemed to scoot around the track, sort of like a “mouse.” With those attributes, his coaching nickname “Mouse” affectionately and respectfully remains to this day.

“Mouse” had matured into one of Ohio’s most versatile track and field athletes. In 1977, as a senior at Columbus’ Linden-McKinley High School, Holloway won individual titles in both the 120 and 330-yard hurdles while also running a leg on the record setting 440 (4x100m relay) yard relay. Holloway’s contributions led to 30 total points to help the Linden McKinley Panthers win the 1977 Class AAA Boys team title.

After prep success, Holloway arrived in Gainesville’s Santa Fe Community College where he would be coached by legendary track coach Brooks Johnson. While at Santa Fe, Holloway would battle injuries during his career but still managed to catch the eye and garner the respect of his coach. Johnson described Coach Holloway as “one of the most competitive athletes I’ve ever coached. He was a keen observer of the sport, and that why he’s been able to do well as a coach.”

It was with this drive and effort as well as the ability to manage his athletes that has vaulted Holloway to the top of his sport.

Holloway’s work ethic was demonstrated early when after his time at Santa Fe he began to volunteer at various track meets around the Gainesville area. Holloway would make his first foray into coaching as the head track/cross country coach at Bucholtz High School in Gainesville in 1985. That would usher in a successful decade for Holloway and the Bobcats.

What stuck out to former athletes at Bucholtz was Holloway’s ability to “identify talent and then connect with the athletes to bring out the best in them.” Holloway also developed a reputation for getting the most out of his athletes in the biggest meets, a trait that separates him from many of his peers to this day.

Mouse Holloway has continued to motivate his athletes to perform at the highest levels without a demanding domineering presence. The quiet demeanor still exists and it is the ability to reach his athletes and give them as jumper Claire Bryant puts it “what they need when they need it,”which impresses them the most.

For Bowerman finalist Anna Hall it was Holloway’s continued support during difficult recovery from injury. “From the moment I got here (from Georgia), he never stopped believing in me and telling me I could accomplish the things that I wanted to accomplish,” she said.

For jumper Jasmine Moore it was Holloway’s treatment of athletes from other teams that really stood out to her: “When I was looking to transfer, I remember just how nice he was to me even though I was at another school, and that really stuck with me.”

Most impressive is the “father figure” that Holloway represents to many of his athletes. “We are extremely close, ”says sprinter Talitha Diggs. “It’s definitely a father figure relationship”.

Diggs mentioned that Holloway will sometimes utilize a bat to calm himself and lighten the mood, similar to her grandfather famed educator Joe Clark. “My grandfather used a bat as well so I thought it was normal,” Diggs said jokingly.

Apparently the bat is a prop used as pointer or device for teaching.

Possibly most impressive is the example that Holloway sets as a man is what resonates most. “I’m most impressed with him as a man,” says sprinter Champion Allison. The Texas native stated Holloway’s example as an attentive husband to wife Angela, father to Michele and Michael II, and his four grandchildren as the most important trait of his legendary coach. Allison states his coach “doesn’t really say much” other than to go out and “do what you do” and the rest will take care of itself.

With a calm-but-firm demeanor, it is no secret why the Gators pulled the team sweep during the 2022 outdoor season, following those performances with several Gators making their way onto World Championship teams for multiple countries.

While they will no longer wear the Orange and Blue in a few weeks, they will continue to carry the lessons of dedication, commitment, and class standards that has been set forth by the man who doesn’t say much, but they respect so much. A testament to the qualities of the man who quietly has built one of the Florida Gators most accomplished programs.