Asotin's Holman retires as baseball coach, will continue to coach football

Jun. 6—Asotin’s Jim Holman has turned in his final lineup card, but he’s not hanging up the whistle entirely just yet.

The longtime Asotin High School coach announced his retirement as Panther baseball’s headman, bringing an end to a 20-year tenure that included 305 wins, 14 state tournament appearances, seven top-four finishes and a 2019 state championship.

He broke the news at Asotin baseball’s end-of-season banquet and later posted an announcement to the program’s Facebook page on Friday.

However, Holman said that he will remain Asotin’s football coach for the 2026 season.

The decision to retire from one of two of his top posts stems from a desire to spend more time with his family.

Holman has three school-aged children: son Blyton, age 16 and daughters Lindy, 14, and Blake, 11.

Lindy is entering her freshman year at Asotin and plays volleyball and softball.

“It’s not going to be very long,” Holman said of how many more years he will coach football. “Probably will be year to year at this point. It really boils down to how much of my girls’ stuff I’ll start to miss. … The end’s coming, my intent was to be done with everything this year after (Holman’s nephew) Cody (Ells) graduated, but it just didn’t feel right.”

Holman has had the chance to coach his nephews, Gavin and Cody Ells, and his son Blyton over the past several years. This last spring, Gavin Ells was Holman’s assistant coach and Cody Ells and Blyton Holman were on the Asotin baseball team.

The three were a part of Jim Holman’s 300th career win as a baseball coach — an exclusive club in the state of Washington.

“The four of us being able to be together every day and every game was pretty special,” Holman said.

Cody Ells graduates from Asotin this month and will join the Lewis-Clark State baseball program.

While his on-field resume is impressive, Holman said he will miss the relationships formed with players that transcend their playing days. Each of his five assistant coaches this past season played for him at some point in their careers.

That includes longtime assistant coach Perry Black, who Holman said has been a part of 270 of Holman’s 305 career victories. Black was a junior when Holman first became Asotin’s head coach 20 years ago and has spent 15 total years on the coaching staff.

Holman said he hopes Black gets to lead the program as its next head coach.

“I know he wants the job,” Holman said. “His boys are coming up. I’ve had the opportunity to coach my family; it’s his turn and honestly, he’s done most of the coaching the last few years anyway and I think it’ll be a pretty seamless transition.”

If Black is hired, Holman said that he will likely return as an assistant coach.

Holman pointed to coaching mentors, including longtime Clarkston football coach Dave Curtis, football/baseball coach Bill Cridlebaugh and Asotin wrestling coach Rick Wilcox.

“I’ve never tried to make it about myself. It’s always been about the players and I think you have to have the right coaches to do that,” Holman said. “I’m asked quite often in 33 years total of coaching, what the secret is and I always say the same thing: ‘Hire really good assistants and have a wife who is supportive of you.'”

Taylor can be reached at 208-848-2260, staylor@lmtribune.com, or on X or Instagram @Sam_C_Taylor.