Lauren Holland started playing soccer at the young age of five. From an early age Holland fell in love with soccer and has not given up on it to this day. In high school Holland played for the Sequoyah varsity girls soccer team for all four years as a left-midfield. She was also lucky enough to be captain of her team her senior year.

“One of my most memorable stories while playing at SHS was when one of our games went into penalty kicks. At the time, there was nothing I hated more than the dreadful pressure of a penalty kick. Some of my teammates were chosen to go the first few times when all of a sudden I blurted out ‘Okay I’ll go now.’ I stepped up to take my shot and scored. As I turned around to celebrate, the team was running to me and a dog pile began. While in my brain I just wanted to get it over with, I had no idea that I had just scored the last goal to win the game,” Holland said.

After high school, Holland attended Georgia Southern University. She played club soccer her freshman year of college, and then retired to intramural soccer which is much less competitive.

This season will be Holland’s first year of coaching soccer. She will be coaching the junior varsity girls soccer team, and she is very excited.

“My hope is to find a spark in each of the players and ignite a sense of confidence, teamwork, and dedication that is contagious to all.” Holland said.

Holland believes each player brings something special to the field, and learns from the team and the team learns from her.

“I plan for tons of fun, memories, and wins of course,” Holland said.

Holland also teaches in the special education department.

“My favorite part of being a special education teacher is the laughs and smiles the students bring everyday and the daily reminder to approach each day with an open mind,” Holland said.

Holland’s dream of becoming a special education teacher started at Sequoyah High School. She started by taking peer facilitation as an elective, where she got to help the students with disabilities work in the coffee shop. From there she became involved with volunteer work at Special Olympics and dances.

Holland believes her students are some of the most genuine and real humans that she knows and by simply listening, watching, teaching, and learning, lives will be impacted forever.

Jada Tyson is one of Holland’s many students. Holland helps Tyson deliver coffee to customers. Holland pushes her harder to work through a math program called Excel, and also teaches Tyson social skills like making eye-contact with people when she is talking to them.

“She is awesome and a role model for me,” Tyson said. “She teaches me how to be nice and I just love her because she is really nice to me.”

One of Holland’s players freshman Samantha Martinez, believes Holland relates her coaching to her special education teaching.

“Coach Holland gives everyone a chance to participate and encourages everyone no matter what,” Martinez said.

Martinez also feels Holland pushes her students to work harder as well as her players.

“She pushes her students as well as her players for their own good and to make them better,” Martinez said.

Science teacher Brian Carnes was Holland’s chemistry and physical science teacher. Carnes taught Holland her sophomore and junior year.

“Lauren was an excellent student. She is very intelligent and had the same great work ethic as a student that she shows as a teacher today,” Carnes said. “She is a wonderful person and was always respectful to me as her teacher.  While she was businesslike regarding her studies, she was always lots of fun to have in class.”

Carnes believed teaching is a gift and he also knew Holland had that gift.

“I am glad that she is able to share her gift of teaching with the special education students at Sequoyah. I am sure that the same is true for coaching on the soccer field.” Carnes said.