Ron Holmes

Women's Bowling Coach

In his 11th season as UCM’s Head Coach, Ron Holmes begins the 2011-12 campaign looking to maintain the level of excellence at which Central Missouri has become nationally and internationally recognized. The six-time Coach of the Year has led his teams to the post-season each of the last ten years, with five teams competing on the final day of the season for a National Championship. His 2003 Jennies team earned the program’s first national title at the Intercollegiate Bowling Championships, the NCAA’s recognized Championship for varsity women’s bowling prior to 2004.

Since the program’s birth in the fall of 2001, Holmes’ teams have also earned eight top-5 finishes, including three national runners-up (2004, 2005, 2009). UCM has won 27 tournament titles and its players have earned 25 regular All-American awards during his tenure. In addition, players on these teams have been selected for 11 National honors, and 4 women have earned spots to represent the United States as members of the Jr. National Team (Jr. Team USA). Promoting the NCAA’s motto of student-athletes, Holmes also stresses the importance of classroom work. His squads have maintained a team GPA of 3.34 during the last nine seasons and produced 60 Academic All-Americans.

Holmes has been also been instrumental in the growth of NCAA women’s bowling at the administrative level. Since 2003, he has functioned as a member of the NCAA Women’s National Bowling Committee, including serving the last four years as the Secretary/ Rules Editor. From 2001-03, Holmes functioned as a Consultant for Varsity Bowling on behalf of College Bowling USA, including a
short role as interim Co-Director. He also has served on several Coaches’ Association committees, most notably as the Vice-President for the NCBCA from 1999-2003.

Holmes currently serves on the National Tenpin Coaches Association All-American and Coaches’ Poll panels. A current USBC Gold-Level Coach candidate, Holmes has been a USBC-certified Coach since 1991 and was recognized from 2006 to 2010 as one of Bowler’s Journal International’s Top 100 Coaches.

Holmes’ first 11 seasons as head coach were spent at Central Missouri as a volunteer coach for the Women’s and Men’s club-sport bowling programs. During these seasons (1991-2001), both squads qualified for post-season competition every year and 11 teams (6 women, 5 men) earned spots to the National Championships. CMSU’s teams also earnedfour Conference titles, two National Championship Finals awards, five top-5 Championships finishes, and produced 30 All-Americans (11 Regular) and two Team USA system players.

An Independence, Missouri native, Holmes’ personal bowling career has also been quite successful. He was a four-year All-Conference player (1987-1990) and 1990 Conference Player of the Year for the Central Missouri men’s program. Holmes was also a member of the 1987 team which played in the National Championships and was the first CMSU player to roll a perfect game in intercollegiate competition in 1986. His personal accomplishments include honor scores of 300 (3), 800 (2), and a high average of 224.

Holmes earned his Bachelor’s (1990) and Master’s (1992) degrees in the areas of Physical Education, Exercise, and Sports Science at CMSU. In 1992, he accepted a teaching position as an Instructor of Health Education and taught full time until 2001 when he was named the school’s first Women’s Head Coach. Holmes continues to teach courses as a portion of his current position on behalf of the Department of Kinesiology. He is also a Coordinator of Athletic Special Events & Camps for the Department of Athletics. His wife, Amy, is an elementary school teacher. They have two children, sons Evan, 13, and Cameron, 10.