ANGELS CAMP—For Gavilan’s Seth Holcomb, Thursday was years in the making.
After high school, Holcomb made a stop at another school before finally landing at Gavilan. Over his two years with the Rams, the sophomore tight end gained the skills and knowledge to finally achieve his dream: playing football at a four-year institution.
Holcomb’s long journey came to an end and he embarked on another as he signed his letter of intent to play football at Minot State University in Minot, N.D. Thursday at his Angels Camp home.
“It’s definitely been a long journey,” Holcomb said. “I’m glad I went to Gavilan. I’m glad coach Gilford called me back after I emailed him. Everything has just worked out perfect.”
But Holcomb’s achievement didn’t happen by chance. Gavilan coach Spencer Gilford said it’s the result of the tight end’s tenacity both on and off the field that made his dreams come true.
“He’s put a lot of work in the past couple years both athletically and academically,” Gilford said. “He’s one of our young men who earned the GPA championship belt. He’s got a very high GPA—if it’s not a 4.0, it’s pretty darn close to it. It’s great for him because it’s what he’s been striving for.”
Holcomb is joining a Beavers team that went 1-10 last season, but said he’s excited to get on the field and contribute to changing that. From the coaching staff to the players, the field to the campus, there’s a plethora of things about Minot State that have him excited to embark on the next phase of his life.
Holcomb will major in Political Science or Business and Gilford said he has no doubts he will flourish there no matter what he decides to do.
“He sacrificed a lot to come out here from Angels Camp two years in a row,” the Rams coach said. “He sacrificed his time and his money and put the work in to do these things that he’s accomplished. I think that’s going to carry on wherever he goes. I know he’ll be successful because of those things.”
While Minot State is over 1,500 miles away, Holcomb said it feels like home. Growing up in the foothills of the Sierras, he said he’s used to the snow. The only thing he will miss, however, is family.
Nonetheless, Holcomb is ready to embark on the next chapter of his life.
“I’m excited for the football part of it and to get to play in front of all the people that go to their games,” he said. “At the same time I’m excited to finally step onto a four-year campus and take classes. I’m excited to see what that’s like.”
