PITTSBURGH (PTTP)-Jeremy Holmes started off playing college basketball at a community college in Kansas. He transferred to the University of Pittsburgh for his junior and senior seasons, playing as a Panther from 1998-2000.
After leaving Pitt, Holmes realized the struggles that former athletes have adjusting to life without playing at a high level. “When you do it from five years old to 22 years old, that’s almost 20 years,” Holmes said about being an athlete. “You’ve done it that way for that long and now it isn’t there anymore.”
Holmes put his thoughts about life after the game into a 2013 book titled Cheers to Fears. The book is co-authored by his former Pitt teammate Jarrett Lockhart and includes a foreword written by fellow Cleveland Heights native Travis Kelce.
After his playing career ended, Holmes quickly found work in coaching, something he never thought he’d do. He has had a successful coaching career, to put it lightly. Holmes’ highlights as a coach include an Ohio Division II State Championship appearance, multiple AAU Championships and an AAU National Championship.
Holmes started his own company, Holmes Court Media, as a platform to speak. “I just wanted to share my story and give some positives and negatives of life,” Holmes said. “This game is not easy. The game of life is not easy. The game of basketball is not easy.” Holmes Court Media produces videos, podcasts, books and blogs.
What excites Holmes the most currently is his son’s career, who is a junior in high school with multiple D1 offers already. “I’m more excited about him playing than I was about playing myself,” Holmes said. “It’s great to physically do it, but to watch your son do it is a different level.”