Hope for Holcomb
Kingwood community rallies around soccer coach diagnosed with cancer
Jan 15, 2020, 8:39 pm
VYPE
Since they've gone public with it the "Hope for Holcomb" campaign has taken off.
Originally Appeared on VYPE
KINGWOOD - The true impact of a coach can't always measured by the number of win and losses, the number of district championships or even runs at a state title.
This story goes beyond any of that.
In reality, the impact a coach is seen whenever they become the one that is in need of the support that they have been providing to others their entire career.
Kingwood girls soccer coach Pres Holcomb, who is set to begin chemotherapy to battle Stage 4 colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with on December 20, is seeing his impact as the Kingwood and soccer community has rallied around him and his family with messages, wristbands, t-shirts, donations and more.
"It's overwhelming in a good way," Holcomb said. "It's kind of crazy when you see your own name across stuff like that. Once we went public with it, the support has been amazing. People you haven't talked to in years are reaching out to you."
Since they've gone public with it the "Hope for Holcomb" campaign has taken off.
The soccer team - which was told about Holcomb's battle in a group setting - created blue wristbands with the phrase on them. It started with the girls wearing them during matches and expanded to them being sold at different places in the community.
They started by ordering just 300.
Then an order of 500 more was needed and that still wasn't enough. The wristbands have sold more than 1,000.
"You don't even think you know that many people," Holcomb said.
More here
Takeaways from the Tigers sweep of the Astros
Total butt kicking. The offense was dreadful, scoring just two runs over three games. However, what’s killing the offense the most is the outfield. Outside of when Altuve plays left field, Houston doesn’t have another major league-quality outfielder right now. Jesus Sanchez not only swung at a Charlie Morton curveball that hit him in the knee, he’s also ice-cold, going 0-for-28 at the plate. At least he’s someone you expect to turn things around, but he’s in a huge slump currently. Beyond him, Jacob Melton, Taylor Trammell, and Chas McCormick have all been dragging down the offense. Cam Smith is struggling too, with just one hit in his last seven games.
Is Framber Valdez going to be okay?
Starting pitching was another big issue against the Tigers, and Valdez was a key part of the problem, basically losing the finale in the first inning after allowing six runs. This isn’t an outlier—he’s got a 7+ ERA through four starts in August. Spencer Arrighetti isn’t faring much better, posting a 7+ ERA through three starts. One silver lining with Valdez: the Tigers know him well. They had success against him in the playoffs last season, and it looks like they’re continuing that formula—force him to throw strikes, hit the other way on the sinker, and if the curveball isn’t up, let it go. AJ Hinch knows the deal.
Is the return of Yordan Alvarez enough to boost the offense?
It has to be. The only real way to give this lineup a spark is getting Yordan and Jake Meyers back. Yordan had a successful first rehab outing, collecting a couple of hits, a walk, and even a stolen base. Adding him back to the top of the lineup gives the Astros a formidable top four: Peña, Altuve, Yordan, and Correa. As for Meyers, the outfield has been the biggest drag on the offense. The key is whether he can continue to hit near .300 when he returns from injury. If he does, Altuve and Meyers in the outfield makes a huge difference, and Joe Espada can figure out right field with Sanchez and Smith.
Is the schedule not as soft as anticipated?
We’ve seen some strange results across the league this week, and some of that has to be chalked up to the Dog Days of Summer. Players are tired, and results have been wild. Thankfully, the Mariners are struggling too, giving the Astros some breathing room. Player adjustments after the trade deadline could also be a factor—Sanchez, anyone? Many big free agents have struggled immediately after changing teams, Walker and Juan Soto included.
Can they recover and take advantage of bad teams?
One thing we know about this year’s Astros: they can flip the switch and win multiple series on a moment’s notice. They’re just as capable of sweeping a series as they are of getting swept. Let’s hope that starts with four wins in Baltimore.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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