Throughout her career playing basketball for the UNBC Timberwolves, kids just flock to Emily Holmes.
At five-foot-three, she's one of the most vertically-challenged players in the conference and hasn't let that get in the way of fulfilling her role directing traffic in the T-wolves backcourt as one as one of the league's top-five passers.
Off the court, her small stature and magnetic personality draws in younger fans. Holmes was reminded of that power she possesses after her game Friday, when 1,500 elementary school students packed the rafters at the Northern Sport Centre to watch the T-wolves play the Grant MacEwan Griffins.
"Until you get all those kids out you don't realize what an impact you do have on the community when you are a Timberwolf, when you have kids coming up to you after the game and you're signing their foreheads and you're their favourite player," said Holmes. "Playing in front of all those kids, that just fueled the whole team and it was so much fun.
"I always wondered what it was that the little girls would come up to me and I think part of it is my height," she laughed. "Through my five years of being involved, being that local kid for young ones to look up to, it truly makes you feel like local superstar and that's what's really special about our program, something you won't see at a big school."
Holmes has always had to adjust to her physical shortcomings playing against opponents sometimes a foot taller and right from the start of her university career she was afforded plenty of court time to develop those skills.
"I always forget how small I am until I see a picture of me and who I'm checking or if I'm next to my teammates," she said. "I'm not ever really thinking about my height, for what my role is, height doesn't matter and it's just about how big you play, not how big you are."
Holmes grew up in a basketball family, coached by her parents, Dave and Louise, who are still coaching her at UNBC. As a kid, she was a regular part of the halftime show playing mini-games in her minor basketball jersey at the Northern Sport Centre and waving the flag with the T-wolves' logo. Fresh out of high school basketball at Duchess Park, she joined the T-wolves as a homegrown 17-year-old. The team finished that season with just three wins, but ever year since then they've been a playoff contender. This season, despite an injury-depleted lineup, they finished 11-9 and head into the playoffs Friday Lethbridge on an eight-game winning streak.
"It's turned out to be an amazing career and I've gotten to play with some phenomenal athletes," said Holmes. "Every year the team's gotten better, I've gotten better and every year's been the best year yet, so that's what's been really special about my career. You can see it on our records and in our stats, making playoffs, winning playoffs, making it to second round of playoffs. UNBC isn't a school people can look past any more, we're a program that challenges big schools and it's something we've been recognized for these last couple years."
One of two graduating seniors on her team, Holmes finished the season with 77 assists (fifth in Canada West) and had 40 steals (ninth in the league). Her assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0 was second best in the conference.
Fellow fifth-year Maria Mongomo, 25, capped a brilliant five-year career at UNBC in her final home game Saturday with 29 points and 13 rebounds in an 80-62 win over the Grant MacEwan Griffins. The Spanish import and psychology major won the Canada West scoring crown, averaging 24.2 points, and ended up third in rebounds with a 9.8 average.
"Some of these girls I've played with one year and some of the local girls like Maddy Landry I've played with 10 years, and we've always had an interesting mix, from internationals to locals, but we've always managed to bring the pieces together each year and improve each year," said Holmes.
Holmes, 22, will graduate with a degree in history and psychology and already has a job with a local insurance company that taps her business skills.
