James G. Holdren, Jr.

Who is James G. Holdren, Jr.?

James "Jim" G. Holdren, Jr. was born in 1942 and has been coaching cross-country and track and field for 51 years. He began his coaching career at William and Mary while he was still a cross-country runner on the team.

In 1988, Holdren won the NHSCA girls track coach of the year award, and he won the NHSCA girls cross-country coach of the year award in 2006. A coach can only win this award once in any particular sport, making it both more honorable and exceptionable that he has won the award both in track and in cross-country. He is the only Virginia coach to win the national coach of the year award in two sports. Holdren has compiled 1,227 wins in high school running, including an 80 percent winning percentage in dual meets with a 16-year undefeated streak in girls outdoor track. He has coached 10 national record holders, 56 All-Americans, 115 state champions, and two female sub-five minute mile runners.

Holdren also serves as the track and field rules interpreter for the state of Virginia.

Holdren was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1993, and he was inducted into the National High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame on June 28, 2006 in Branson, Mo.