A Second Chance at Being a Cane

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – When you’ve tasted success, it’s only natural to want more.

Success on the track came almost instantly to Isaiah Holmes in his time at UCLA. The Roseville, Calif., native was an eight-time Pac-12/Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference scorer, a two-time Pac-12/MPSF conference champion in the high jump and long jump. As a four-time NCAA West Preliminary qualifier,  he is also one UCLA’s all-time top-10 list in both events.

One of his biggest accomplishments came during his freshman season under his then-coach Robert Jarvis, Miami’s current jumps and combined-events coach. Holmes was named the 2017 Pac-12 Field Athlete and Freshman of the Year. That year, he won the high jump, was runner-up in the long jump and finished fifth in the triple jump at the Pac-12 Championships.

Holmes had a glimpse of his previous success in 2019, reaching the NCAA West Regionals in both the high jump and long jump that season. He concluded his career as a Bruin with personal best marks in the long jump at 7.90m, a mark of 2.20m in the high jump, 15.43m in the triple jump and a third-place finish at the MPSF Championships with 5,517 points, which ranked as the fifth-best score in UCLA.

But there was nothing quite like his freshman season, after which departed for Coral Gables.

And so, when Jarvis learned Holmes entered the transfer portal after his UCLA graduation, he couldn’t help but pick up the phone.

“I remember being in a staff meeting and coach [Cory] Young says, ‘Your boy is in the portal’. I wasn’t sure who he was talking about, but as soon as I saw it was Isaiah, I immediately texted him and it was like an instant response,” Jarvis said.

Holmes, a highly touted dual jumper in both the long jump and high jump, caught the attention of many top programs in the country. With so many heavy hitters in the mix, Jarvis didn’t want to get his hopes up early. But the synergy the pair continued to had had over the years encouraged him.

“We picked right back up where we left off as soon as I contacted him,” Jarvis said. “It felt comfortable, but I had so much respect for the other coaches going after him that I would’ve understood. I think what played into his decision was our relationship. Our vibe was great at UCLA and it was just like riding a bike talking to him again recently.”

The relationship the duo created was just one of the key factors into Holmes’s decision to transfer to Miami. Miami’s graduate sports administration program was key, including the ample amount sports career opportunities available in Miami, as was the opportunity to be a Hurricane.

“For undergrad, my choices were between UCLA and Miami, so to be given a second chance not only with coach [Amy] Deem, but finishing what coach Jarvis and I started seemed like a no brainer to me,” Holmes said. “Miami also has such a diverse community, like nothing I’ve experience before, so I’m excited to be immersed in that.”

The goal-oriented Holmes says Jarvis’ knack for organization and his passion for track helped him find success when the two first worked together in 2017.

“It’s hard to have that combination from a coach and not be successful,” Holmes said. “I know exactly what it is I need to do and what I need to work on to have a strong communications pipeline with my coach and take my athletic abilities to the next level. I’m just excited for what we can do again.”

With years of experience under his belt, Holmes brings plenty of confidence and knowledge to a young jumps squad.

Holmes ended 2020 ranked in the top 25 in both the high jump and the heptathlon.

The way Holmes carries himself, his demeanor and his attention to details are characteristics Jarvis believes will help the men’s team. His ability to lead by example, Jarvis feels, will help Holmes become a future leader who will work well with the likes of current Hurricanes such as Raheem Chambers, Xavier Coakley and McKinly Brown.

“I’m excited to work with this group,” Holmes said. “I’ve talked to some of them and they seem hungry to win and I hope it takes us not only as individuals, but as a group, to a higher level in conference and nationally. I want to instill confidence in the younger guys at conference, help them work through the nerves, trust their training and stay focused not only on the track, but off the track as well.”

For Jarvis and Holmes, the short term goal is to get back to the success they had in Westwood, Calif.

Jarvis has all the confidence that Holmes will be an eight-meter long jumper this season and make the NCAA podium.

But for Holmes, that won’t be enough. The goal, from the moment he began competing at the college level, was to become a national champion.

“That’s always been on my mind,” Holmes said. “I want to win a title and make a run at the Olympic trials.”