Phil Anastasia: Holman still going strong at Haddonfield

WEST WINDSOR, N.J. - There are the first 2,004 and there is No. 2,005.

Jeff Holman can't remember them all. But he'll never forget the last one.

"It just seemed like everything was going against us," Holman said, pausing to catch his breath and wipe away tears yesterday at Mercer County Park.

Haddonfield's 3-2 victory over Pascack Hills in the Group 2 state finals was the 870th of Holman's career as coach of the girls' program. He's also won 859 matches as boys' coach.

Add in 276 losses, and it computes to an astounding 2,005 matches that Holman has coached since taking over the girls' program in 1976. He became the boys' coach in 1978.

But some matches are special.

Some stand out.

And some are simply unforgettable, like the Bulldogs' pulse-pounding victory over the North Jersey I champions at the tennis center.

"We've had some teams that have won kind of easier," said Holman, who has coached the Bulldogs to 14 state titles in girls' tennis. "There were times when we kind of overwhelmed people with our talent, especially in those years when we were in Group 1.

"But this was different. As a coach, you try to stay positive and project that things are going to work out, but it was tough to do that the way that last match was going."

There might be another high school coach out there, somewhere, with whom Holman can relate.

Maybe there's a baseball coach in Arizona who has been changing pitchers for 2,000 games. Maybe there's a volleyball coach in California who has been devising sets for 2,000 matches.

More than likely, though, nobody in the history of high school sports in America has coached one sport for as many competitions as Haddonfield's indefatigable tennis coach.

"The other day we celebrated his 2,000th match," Haddonfield athletic director Lefty Banos said. "I said, 'Hopefully, this is a good start to a long and successful career.' "

That's the truly remarkable thing about the 56-year-old Holman. There's no end in sight for him, nor for the Bulldogs' status as a state power.

The Haddonfield team that won the state title featured four sophomores and two freshmen among the seven players that took the court.

"He's just an amazing coach," said first doubles' player Jocelyn Perry, the Bulldogs' lone senior starter and a key player in the decisive match. "Nobody works harder at tennis. He's totally devoted."

Holman was a tennis player (as well as a basketball player and cross-country runner) at Haddonfield, graduating in 1970. He was an assistant basketball coach and English teacher at his alma mater when fate intervened in 1976.

At the time, girls' tennis was a spring sport. But the NJSIAA changed girls' tennis to a fall sport for the 1976-77 school year, creating an opening at Haddonfield since the girls' tennis coach also was the field hockey coach in the fall.

"That gave me my chance," Holman said.

He's been the girls' coach every since. He took over the boys' program in 1978.

He's been coaching an average of 30 matches, every spring and every fall, ever since. The numbers have added up: He's 870-119 in girls' tennis, and 859-157 in boys' tennis, the winningest tennis coach in the nation, according to the national federation of high schools.

"I've been fortunate," Holman said. "Haddonfield is a tennis community. A lot of the parents play, and they encourage their children to play. I've had great kids."

Soft-spoken and friendly, Holman has managed to built two of South Jersey's most successful programs without any high-pressure tactics.

"My philosophy is just to use positive reinforcement," Holman said. "I want the sport to be fun. It's tough sometimes, because the kids do put pressure on themselves, and there is a pressure to succeed.

"But I really try to make sure the athletes enjoy themselves. I think if they are enjoying themselves and having fun, they are more likely to work to improve and more likely to do well."

Holman is a tireless advocate for his sport. He runs the Camden County and S.J. Interscholastic tournaments. He's president of the South Jersey Tennis Coaches Association and coordinates the organization's all-star voting. He also runs the November banquet, although it's not true that he cooks the meal, does the dishes, and vacuums the room afterward.

"I never get tired of it," Holman said. "I just really enjoy being around the kids. To me, it's like teaching honors classes, where the students want to be there and want to learn.

"The students who come out for tennis want to play tennis. . . . And it's just great to be around them."