Photos by Rachel Howard

In the annals of Hartselle High School’s rich sports history, the name Briar Holt will forever stand out. This 2024 graduate has achieved what no other student in the school’s history has done before—he has earned a college scholarship for bowling. Come this fall, Holt will be donning the colors of Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, as a proud member of its bowling team.  

For many, bowling is a pastime, a weekend activity enjoyed with family and friends. For Holt, it is much more—it is a passion and a sport in which he has invested countless hours of practice, discipline and dedication. His journey from casual bowler to scholarship athlete is a testament to his commitment and the support of the Hartselle community. 

Holt’s fascination with bowling began at a young age. His family built what was then called Perry Lanes in Decatur, now AMF River City Lanes. Much of his childhood was spent at the bowling alley with his parents being in a regular league when Holt was a child.  

Holt spent his school years focusing on other sports and joined the bowling team during his senior year, revisiting his love for the sport after a football injury landed him on the sidelines.  

“I played football my whole life but then my sophomore year I tore my knee,” he said.  

Requiring physical therapy to recover, Holt found that he is passionate about the field and plans to pursue it as a career.  

“I fell in love with it. It was really crazy how it happened all at once,” Holt said. “I’ve always wanted a signing day and to go to college to play sports, but I was never really good enough at football so I kind of put it on the back burner and didn’t think about it. When I tore my knee and became an athletic trainer and picked up bowling again, it was like it was a Godsend.”  

Photos by Rachel Howard

Holt finished his senior season with a 192 average and a 48 percent strike rate. 

Throughout his high school career, Holt racked up an impressive list of accomplishments. He consistently posted high scores in competitions and was a key player in leading his team to numerous victories at regional and state levels. His impressive performance did not go unnoticed by college scouts, culminating in his historic signing with Drury University. 

Drury University’s bowling coach, Ted Barbee said Holt’s motivation and dedication are impressive.  

“When I started talking with Briar, I could tell immediately that he was a passionate and driven young man. We discussed his bowling career to this point and other activities he was a part of.  I was impressed with his academic achievements, his success nationally in the medical-PT competitions he has participated in and how well he has done bowling in such a short time frame in high school. 

When I was able to meet him in person, I was able to see how genuine and respectful (he is) and how motivated he was to learn and improve his game.  After we had a practice session on his visit up here with the team, I could tell immediately he would be a great addition to the team as a player and a teammate,” Barbee said. “At his signing I was able to talk with his coach and teammates. They sang his praises in our conversations. They were sad to see him go but are very excited to see what he accomplishes at Drury University. 

Barbee said Holt’s dedication to improvement makes him an exceptional listener.  

“He’s open to coaching, unafraid to experiment with new ideas and readily applies feedback, which are exciting traits for me as a coach,” he added. 

Barbee drove from Missouri to attend Holt’s signing event at Hartselle High School this past spring.  

“That really meant a lot to me,” Holt said.  

As Briar prepares to move to Springfield, Missouri, for the next chapter of his academic and athletic career, he does so with a sense of pride and a readiness to face new challenges. At Drury University, he will be part of a competitive bowling program that will push him to further hone his skills and strive for excellence. 

“I’m excited for the opportunity to bowl at the collegiate level and to represent Drury University,” Holt says. “This scholarship means a lot to me, and I’m grateful for all the support from my family, coaches and the Hartselle community. I hope to make them proud.” 

Hartselle bowling coach Shanna Coan said she believes Holt will be a great leader for the Drury team.  

“I see a ton of promise for Briar and collegiate bowling,” she said. With his hard work ethic and determination, he will be a successful addition to the Drury team. 

“He pursued the opportunity to bowl at the college level.  It is because of his grit that he is the first Hartselle bowler to sign.”