Corey Holmes facts for kids

Corey Holmes (born November 19, 1976) is a former professional Canadian football player. He was a talented running back and also served as the mayor of Metcalfe, Mississippi. Corey is a Grey Cup champion, winning with the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2007. He was also named a CFL All-Star twice and won the John Agro Special Teams Award twice. In 2005, he was recognized as the West Division's Most Outstanding Player.

Corey Holmes: From College Star to CFL Pro

College Football Days

Corey Holmes played college football at Mississippi Valley State University. In his senior year, he played eight games for the Delta Devils team. He was named "SWAC all-Conference" and "SWAC all-American Player of the Year."

He gained 1,167 yards by running with the ball 189 times. Corey also scored 10 touchdowns that year. He led his team in scoring with 60 points. He also played on special teams, which are important parts of football games. In 2014, Corey was honored by being added to the Mississippi Valley State Hall of Fame.

Playing in the CFL

Joining the Saskatchewan Roughriders

Corey Holmes began his professional career on June 8, 2001. He signed with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. In his first season, he played in only one game. He carried the ball once for three yards. He also returned two kickoffs for 48 yards and four punts for 42 yards. For most of that season, he was a backup player or on the practice team.

A Breakthrough Year in 2002

The 2002 season was a big success for Corey. He led his team with seven touchdowns. He also had 1,035 kickoff return yards and 1,023 punt return yards. His excellent performance earned him several awards. He was named a Western Division all-star. He also won the John Agro Special Teams Award for being the best special teams player. His teammates voted him the MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the Roughriders.

Overcoming Injuries and Strong Comebacks

In 2003, Corey played in only 10 games because of injuries. Despite missing time, he was still nominated for the Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award. He was healthy and ready for the playoffs. The 2004 season was much better for him. He played in all 18 regular season games and both playoff games.

He rushed for 635 yards and caught passes for 536 yards. Corey led the league with 2,704 combined yards. This means he gained that many yards from rushing, receiving, and returning kicks. For the third year in a row, he was considered for the Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award. He was also named Special Teams Player-of-the-Week in week 17.

Corey's Best Season in 2005

The 2005 season was Corey Holmes' most successful year. He started the season by scoring a touchdown on the opening kickoff. He finished the year with 899 rushing yards and 523 receiving yards. He also had 1,157 kickoff return yards and 835 punt return yards.

Corey set a Roughrider team record for combined yards with 3,455. This was the third-highest total in CFL history. He was named the CFL's Special Teams Player of the week four times. He also won the CFL's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award. He was a Western nominee for Most Outstanding Player and a CFL all-star. His teammates nominated him for the Tom Pate Memorial Award. Fans also voted him the Riders' Most Popular Player.

Time with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats

On April 12, 2006, Corey was traded to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. This trade involved him and another player, Scott Gordon. In return, the Roughriders received the first pick in the 2006 CFL draft. Corey signed a three-year contract extension with the Tiger-Cats in September 2006.

In 2006, he played in ten games. He rushed for 369 yards and scored one touchdown. He also caught 33 passes for 263 yards. He returned 25 punts for 125 yards and 22 kickoffs for 72 yards. In 2007, Corey played eight games for the Tiger-Cats. He had 74 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards, 424 kickoff return yards, and 74 punt return yards.

Returning to the Roughriders and Grey Cup Victory

On August 19, 2007, Corey Holmes was traded back to the Roughriders. He returned along with Chris Getzlaf. In exchange, the Tiger-Cats received Jason Armstead. Corey played in nine regular season games for the Roughriders in 2007. He rushed for 73 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also caught passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns. He returned 35 punts for 411 yards and 33 kickoffs for 584 yards.

Corey played in his first Grey Cup game that year. He helped the Roughriders win the 95th Grey Cup championship against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. In that game, he returned nine punts for 83 yards and two kickoffs for 43 yards.

End of His Playing Career

After the 2007 season, Corey was released by the Roughriders on January 29, 2008. This decision was made due to team budget reasons. Corey was a very popular player among Roughrider fans, so his release was a surprise.

Corey finished his career as one of the Roughriders' all-time leaders. He holds the record for most punt return yards (3,440) and kickoff return yards (4,077). He also had seven kick return touchdowns, which is a team record. Overall, he ranks fourth in club history with 11,378 combined yards.

Life After Football: Coaching and Politics

Coaching Young Athletes

After his playing career, Corey Holmes became a coach. In 2008, he worked as the receivers and defensive coach at Washington School in Greenville, Mississippi. He helped the Washington Generals football team win the 2008 Mississippi State AAA football championship. His coaching contract was not renewed after that season.

Becoming a Mayor

Corey Holmes also entered the world of politics. On June 2, 2009, he was elected mayor of Metcalfe, Mississippi. He won against Shirley Allen, who had been mayor for 16 years. Corey received 222 votes, while Allen received 146 votes. He served as mayor for eight years. In 2017, he was succeeded by Walter McDavid Jr.