An outstanding high school athlete at Kalamazoo Hackett Catholic where he played football for coach Dick Soisson, Mike Holmes, like his mentor, racked up over 200 victories as varsity football coach on his way to a Hall of Fame career.

Fresh off a standout four-year career as a football and baseball player at Kalamazoo College, Holmes arrived at Muskegon Catholic Central in 1976. There, Holmes served as an assistant under five different coaches, including MASHF inductees Roger Chiaverini and Pete Kutches, before taking over the program in 1988.
Over the next 25 years, his teams compiled a 212-75-1 record, with 18 playoff appearances and 13 semifinal berths. The Crusaders won six state titles during the span, earning championships in 1990, 1991, 1995, 2000, 2006 and 2008, with a lone loss in a state title game coming in 2001.  After 37 years as a coach and teacher at MCC, Holmes stepped down following the 2012 season.  At the time of his retirement, his 212 wins ranked second in Muskegon-area high school coaching history, behind only 2009 MASHF inductee Jack Schugars of Oakridge.