Joel Holmes: Football Player, Musician, and Maybe, US President

By Kate Irvin 

Joel Holmes has many different sides to his story and has not let those sides go unnoticed.

Left: Joel Holmes taking his stance in a Trinity football game.
Right: Holmes singing in the Trinity choir.
Photos courtesy of Bennet Soriano

The second-year starter at left guard on the Trinity football team also started for the Tigers as a freshman, which is not very common. He has played football since a young age and claims it to be one of his first loves. He came to Trinity to continue to playing football, but has found that Trinity offers many more opportunities.

Through the football teammates, he was introduced to Greek life and eventually became a member of the Bengal lancer fraternity. This club historically and almost exclusively has had football players as their members and is known on campus as the "football frat."



"It helps to be a part of Lancer when it comes to football," said Holmes. "Everyone I know that has gone through the process of becoming a Lancer has become a better football player because of it."

Being a Lancer not only helped Holmes on the field, but also as a person off the field.

"The pledging process opens you up and helps you see sides of yourself you never really saw before. Mentally you become stronger and more vulnerable and this helps you get over your pride," said Holmes.

Holme's big brother in the fraternity, senior Luke Packard, also juggles both Greek life and football. Packard has been a member of the fraternity since his freshman year and knows exactly how much time and commitment both activities take. But he has the utmost faith in Holmes in handling both commitments.

"He is a great addition to the Bengal Lancer fraternity and upholds the values that we care so deeply about," said Packard. "Bottom line, Joel is a hard worker and devoted to both school and his friends and family."

Football, however, is not Holmes' only interest. He is a member of the Trinity choir and the Trinity Chamber Singers, singing both tenor and baritone for the groups.

In the choir setting, Holmes leaves quite and impression amongst his peers by displaying a lively personality and respected focus for his craft.

"He's always incredibly nice and welcoming to everyone," said junior Emma Lucero, also a member of the Trinity Chamber Singers. "He's focused during rehearsal, but also has fun. He had a solo at our Christmas concert and did a fantastic job."

He even has his own online music platform where he uploads his own original hip hop songs. He recently released his own album called "But Wait... There's More," which can be found on Soundcloud. Creating and sharing his own hip hop music is one of his favorite hobbies.

"I just love music a lot and I love to sing, " said Holmes. "Sometimes I get bored and I like to parody and mimic the sounds from the songs that I like that are out currently and they aren't really meant to be taken seriously," because "for the most part it's just me having fun."

Holmes is a history major and minors in communication at Trinity. He hopes that this will open up a plethora of doors for him. He plans on attending law school after Trinity. After law school, he has one ultimate goal that he said he wants to achieve, president of the United States.