Mr. Jordan Holmes has been teaching at Centennial Road Junior Public School since 1996. During that time his teams have won 16 City Championships across five different
sports: volleyball, ice hockey, flag football, slow pitch and ultimate frisbee. He hopes to have another win in ultimate frisbee before retiring at the end of this school year.
By Denise Bacon
“We made history!” exclaimed a Grade 5 boy after the Centennial Road Comets won the City Championship in ultimate frisbee for the first time last year.
Making history is what Mr. Jordan Holmes has done at Centennial Road Public School for the last 30 years since he arrived in 1996. His teams have won an incredible16 City Championships across five different sports: volleyball, ice hockey, flag football, slow pitch and ultimate frisbee.
Mr. Holmes hopes to enjoy back-to-back City Championships in ultimate frisbee before the end of this school year. What an end it would be to an awesome coaching run at Centennial Road!
Mr. Holmes was hired to teach Grade 3 at the school and he quickly took on the role of coach for many sports while teaching various grade levels over the years.
“Practice, practice, practice,” was Mr. Holmes’ mantra. He instilled in his students that if they put in the time and dedication, they would achieve more than they thought possible. “How many kids can say ‘we are the best’?” Mr. Holmes is proud to say that over the years the Centennial Road Comets were indeed The Best.
Mr. Holmes has used this same philosophy of practice and dedication in the classroom to help students achieve more that they imagined. He has used students’ success in sports as strong motivators to raise them up academically.
“When I was in Grade 6, I had an amazing teacher who made a big impact on me,” Mr. Holmes said. “I now share that teacher’s style to make hard work fun.”
With 30 years under his belt at Centennial Road P.S., Mr. Holmes has taught almost a thousand students in class and has coached hundreds more. In recent years, he has taught the children of his students. “It makes you feel a little old,” grinned Mr. Holmes with a touch of nostalgia.
As news of his retirement has spread, this popular teacher has received letters, videos and visits from many of his previous students – a testament to the impact he made on their lives.
While Mr. Jordan Holmes is looking forward to retiring, he is happy that the Holmes coaching tradition will continue a little while longer at Centennial Road P.S. as his wife, Mrs. Angela Holmes, will take on the role of coach of the Centennial Comets flag football team. The Assistant Coach job will always be open for Mr. Holmes to make guest appearances!