Senior Spotlight: Troy Holman, A Champion in the Gym and the Classroom

From the time he was barely tall enough to climb onto a mat, Troy Holman was already chasing the gold. Introduced to gymnastics through “Mommy and Me” classes at just three years old, he entered his first competition soon after and never looked back.

“He could barely walk, and he was already jumping off the fireplace,” said his father, Jesse Holman. “I remember when he was four, and he saw someone win a gold medal, and he said, I want that.”

Troy’s mindset — quiet, singularly focused, determined, and relentlessly forward-looking — has carried him to the very top of his class and his sport. A two-time member of the U.S. Men’s Junior National Team (2023–2024 and 2024–2025), he placed among the top in the nation, earning himself a spot among just a few athletes selected nationwide.

“He’s done more than we ever could have imagined,” his mom, Margarita Holman, said. “My goal has always been to support him. He’s always made good decisions to get where he’s at.”

At the same time, Troy has maintained a perfect academic record. Ranked Number one out of more than 600 students at Independence High School, Troy holds a 4.5 weighted GPA, with straight A’s throughout high school. His rigorous course load includes multiple AP classes. For Troy, excellence in both arenas isn’t optional. It’s part of the plan.

“I knew colleges looked at both grades and gymnastics,” he said. “You don’t want either one to be slacking. I just stick to a schedule every day and do my best with the time I have.”

Troy stands with his parents Jesse and Margarita, proudly showing off his medal and University of Michigan gear.

That schedule is no small commitment. Troy trains 22 hours a week, balancing long practices with a demanding academic load, all while traveling across the country for elite competitions and national team training camps. At times, that meant missing entire weeks of school, and even taking his final exams early in some cases. 

Despite his diligence, Troy’s journey hasn’t been without setbacks. A shoulder injury requiring surgery sidelined him for nearly a year, testing both his patience and determination.

“It was mostly an overuse injury, and it was a long recovery,” Troy said. “It gave me a clear vision of what I want in the sport. I knew I wanted to go all the way, so it really gave me that motivation.”

His comeback speaks volumes. At a major competition following his recovery, Troy struggled on day one, falling several times as he tried newer and more complicated skills. But instead of letting it define him, he reset. The next day, he returned and finished fourth in the nation.

“That’s grit,” Jesse said. “He didn’t get stuck in his head; he didn’t beat himself up. He came back and did what he knows how to do. That’s a guy you can build a team around.”

This fall, Troy will take his talents to the University of Michigan men’s gymnastics, where he has earned a nearly full-ride scholarship, split between athletics and academics. This decision has been years in the making.

“We looked up colleges when he was about eight years old. There are only a few Division One colleges that have men’s gymnastics, so we already had it narrowed down for us,” Margarita explained. “We’ve had talks about it for a decade now, of where he was going to go, and all the hard work that he was going to have to continue doing to get there.”

After years of envisioning his future in college gymnastics, Troy said it was his visit to Michigan and his tour of the campus and facility that solidified his choice.

“Once I went and visited them in person and got to meet the whole team and the coaches and just see the community, I knew that was the only place I could go,” he said. “It was perfect.”

The program, one of the nation’s most elite, offers Troy not only the opportunity to compete at the highest collegiate level but also to continue chasing his ultimate dream: the Olympics.

“It’s everyone’s dream to go to the Olympics, but there are a lot of steps before that,” Troy said. “One of them is already completed, getting onto the NCAA team. So that’s a really big milestone in that journey. Then you work your way onto the national team, and the national team goes to the Olympics.”

What truly distinguishes Troy isn’t just his accolades. It’s his mentality. While many athletes dwell on mistakes, Troy keeps his focus on long-term growth. He’s willing to fall, sometimes repeatedly, in pursuit of mastering more difficult skills.

“You’re not going to add new things and be perfect every time,” he said. “It’s a process. The last competition is the one that matters.”

That ability to stay composed under pressure has become one of his greatest strengths. His father says Troy’s consistency is something that he admires most about him.

“He delivers under pressure, and he’s consistent,” Jesse said. “Watching practices, we see all the misses, all the mistakes. Then under pressure in the competition, when he does land it, stick it, that’s the exciting part.”

Behind Troy’s success is a family that has supported him every step of the way, sometimes quite literally. During the pandemic, his parents drove hundreds of miles each week so he could continue training.

“It all comes from my parents. They’re the ones that got me here,” Troy added. “They’re just as consistent as I am, being there for anything I need and supporting me.”

As he prepares to leave home for the first time, Troy admits it won’t be easy. He’s grown up surrounded by a tight-knit support system, but he hopes to find a new support system in his teammates and coaches.

“It’s going to be hard to live so far away from my family,” Troy said. “I can’t wait to be part of that team, to have those teammates with me every day. They’re going to be amazing supporters. They will push me, and we’ll make each other better.”

As he sets his sights first on the NCAA, then eventually on a gold medal, Troy continues to practice consistency, sticking to his schedule and eating, sleeping, and breathing gymnastics.

“I’m really excited. I’ve got to keep proving myself, and I’m ready to take that next step,” Troy said. “I feel like it’s going to be really fun, and when I have fun, I do my best.”