By Colin Shields
Staff writer

Moving away from family to go to college can be one of the hardest transitions to make for any incoming freshman.

For Alex Holt, a freshman from Lago Vista, Texas, it was a little easier thanks to his brother, sophomore Andrew Holt, who was already attending Hutchinson Community College.

After missing all of last year’s indoor and outdoor track season with a heart issue, Andrew decided to use his extra year of eligibility to come back for one more season with the Blue Dragons.

“It was kind of cool because I didn’t think we would (be on the same team), since I was planning on only spending two years here,”  Andrew said. “We found out I could come back for a third year and thought that would be really cool that we would be on the same team again, just like in high school. I was excited to watch (Alex) run again.”

Alex shared the same enthusiasm upon learning that he would be able to run with his brother for one more year.

“It was exciting when I heard he could come back,” Alex said. “I found out I could go to college and be roommates with someone I already know, that would make it a lot easier. It has also been fun to watch him race again because I hadn’t seen him run since high school.”

While they don’t run the same events, or even practice together, the Holt brothers have found ways to still push each other to mess around and show that brotherly love.

“We can’t really push each other as much as some might think because we don’t run the same events or train in the same groups. If I get done with a workout, I’ll mess with him while he’s training for the hurdles, or vice versa,” Andrew said.

The year has been a bit of a sentimental one for not just Andrew and Alex, but also their family. “I think it’s been nice, Alex and I grew up really close and we even shared a room until I was like 17, so when he started running track it was fun to watch him run and compete,” Andrew said. “We got this extra year to live together and compete on the same team again, which neither one of us thought was going to happen. I think my mom was happy that Alex came here, because my freshman year, it was hard for her to just drop me off in Kansas without a car or anything and just say, ‘Hey have fun in the midwest, see you later,’ I think both of us being here made it easier for her to leave Alex here for his freshman year.”

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