On October 5th, the Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame will enshrine six new members as the Class of 2024. Also being recognized will be the selection for the Meritorious Service Award and the male and female athlete of the year from the three Jackson Parish high schools. Over the next several weeks the Jackson Parish Journal will have a special feature on each. Today’s Edition – Shane Holder.

(by: Ben Ledbetter)

Just For Kicks!

According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, a high school goal post should have uprights or side posts 20 feet tall with a connecting crossbar 10 feet off the ground. The width from inside post-to-post is 23’4″ wide.

When standing underneath or up close, the expanse looks like you could drive a pair of big trucks through at the same time. In reality, you most likely could as the distance across is just 8″ shy of being as wide as two lane road in the Louisiana state highway system.

From where Shane Holder stood on December 4th, 1987, in the Class AA state semifinal contest against St. Charles, it was a total different story. Trotting on to the field, he got his bearings and glared toward the endzone. At that distance the goal posts looked like a pair toothpicks spread apart by about six inches. 

Holder placed his foot down at the 36 yard line indicating to his holder where he wanted the ball spotted. As he took his traditional three steps back from the mark and two feet to the side, a hush fell over the stadium as the crowd started to realize what was fixing to take place. 

Was J-H trying a field goal from this distance? WHOA! You gotta be kidding! Most likely it was going to be a fake, was the predominant thought after all the longest field goal in Tiger history up to that point was  

With a nod of his head, Holder indicated he was ready. The snap came firing back, deftly handled by the holder who placed the ball down and spun the laces to toward the goal. The young man with the golden toe quickly approached and swung his mighty right leg, sending the pigskin soaring skyward. 

As the ball kept climbing the eyes of those in the stadium got wider and the noise got louder. Turning end-over-end, the ball began the approach to the goal post, obviously apparent that it had the distance. The referees that stood on each side of the goal posts watched as the ball sailed past them. With baited breath the crowd waited for the signal indicating the kick was good. When they both lifted their hands overhead the stands went wild and the Tiger team rushed onto the field in celebration. 

Everyone knew that they had just witnessed history. 

The result was officially a 46 yard field goal, (goal posts are set 10 yards behind the goal line), totally obliterating the old record of 38 yards set by Robert Williams in 1981. What made the kick even more impressive was that it was only Holder’s third field goal of the season. 

While it marked the first time that Holder had his named etched in the all-time annals of JHHS records in the field goal department it isn’t the only place that Holder is listed. 

Earlier that season, Holder had set another record. It was set while doing his other important job for the team, one that ended up being a vital role in the run to the Class AA state championship. 

Against Campti, now recognized as Lakeview High School, Holder finished the game with a 51.2 per yard punting average, setting a new school single game punting average record. Talk about flipping a field. 

By season’s end, the schools initial first team, All-State, representative as a kicker owned another record as his 38.6 yards per punt average took tops spot in the single season average category.  

It takes a special kind of person to be a place kicker / punter. One with “thick skin” as they say, meaning that he has to be able to perform in pressure packed situations.  Virtually every time they step on to the field, it is in a key moment.

For the placekicker it is often the difference in winning and losing. Even the so called “easy kick” of converting an extra point after an early score can be crucial. Year in and year out, you will see teams lose by one point which can be traced back to a missed conversion early in the game. Every kick counts.

If it involves punting it is imperative that the ball is advanced far enough to force the opponent to have a long field they have to traverse in order to score. Nothing is more challenging to a team than having to constantly try to stop an opponent from scoring when they seem to always be starting their drive in your half of the field.

So how does a kicker / punter get to where he comfortable in pressure situations? Practice! 

No matter when or where you saw “Shane” during those days, he always had a football in his hand, or actually bouncing it off the toe of his foot. Take a step, drop the ball, bounce it back into his hands. Over and over and over again. On the field, hanging around the house or with friends. Drop, bounce, catch! Drop, bounce, catch!

Perhaps the best scenario that made Holder so consistent and helped make all the game-time pressure situations seem routine was put on him by his head coach, Walter Causey, during team practice. 

According to current JHHS head coach Terrance Blankenship, the team would often get to skip the dreaded, end of practice, running exercises if Holder made his first field goal attempt.

Imagine how it would feel if you are faced with having to make a kick with 45 hot, sweaty, and tired teammates ready to ring your neck if you don’t. Now that is pressure!

“We really appreciated Shane,” laughed Blankenship. “We didn’t have to run often thanks to him.”

Holder attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches following graduation and in 1991 had a try-out for the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately soon after signing he was involved in a jet-ski accident which ended his career. 

This October 5th, Holder will be one of six local legends and the the first “specialist” inducted into the Jackson Parish Sports Hall of Fame. Guess you could say he is being enshrined just for kicks! 

Shane Holder
JPSHOF Class of 2024

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