Life is going pretty well according to Ryan Hollins. In his
words, “Everything is cool.”
And it should be.
The true freshman has successfully transitioned into
collegiate-level competition, adapted to the pressures of being a
UCLA athlete, and become a significant presence for the Bruins not
only in basketball, but also track and field.
As the starting center on the UCLA basketball team,
Hollins’ performance down the stretch was one of the few
bright spots of a troubled season. Now, with the Bruin basketball
woes behind him, Hollins has stepped off the court and onto
the track, and is a steady points contributor as one of the top
high jumpers on the team.
“He’s been a breath of fresh air for us,”
men’s track and field head coach Art Venegas said.
“Even though we know basketball is what he’s really
about, we enjoy what he gives to the team.”
This season on the court, Hollins earned Pac-10 Honorable
Mention All-Freshman honors, and is expected to develop into one of
the conference’s best centers.
Hollins admits basketball is his main focus and hopes to take
his skills to the professional level, but that has not distracted
him on the field, where he recently broke the 7-foot barrier in the
high jump. At last weekend’s Pac-10 championships Hollins
finished sixth ““ an impressive performance considering
he’s only been involved in the sport for a little over a
year.
“He’s a tremendous athlete,” Â UCLA jumps
coach Monte Rucker said. “The fact that he can compete in the
triple jump, high jump and long jump as well as he can, shows how
athletic he is.”
After completing his senior basketball season at Muir High in
Pasadena, Hollins was approached by track head coach Mike Knowles
about competing for the team.
“I talked to the coach and thought it was something I
wanted to try and that I could be good at,” Hollins said.
“I had some friends on the team which made it easier to try.
It happened that I found success.”
Although Hollins is still competing in the high jump, some of
his attention is already focused on basketball. Currently weighing
in at a mere 215 pounds, Hollins has already spoken with new
basketball coach Ben Howland about bulking up in the offseason.
“He’s got to get bigger and stronger to be able to
really excel and reach his potential,” Howland said.
“That will be a big part of his development, to develop his
body, entire body. If he gets to be in the 225 to 235 range, it
will give him a chance to play beyond college.”
But besides the needed time in the weight room, Hollins’
development as a dual-sport athlete is right on track ““ even
where one would expect complications. Both coaching staffs see his
involvement in both sports as a win-win situation.
“The great thing about basketball is that you have to
jump,” Rucker said. “And here, he’s doing the
type of explosion work needed that will help him on the
court.”
Both teams also appear to be coexisting well, as both head
coaches were quick to praise each other.
“The coaches, Art Venegas and Monte Rucker, have been
great about everything,” Howland said. “Especially
because we only get to work with the boys two hours a week in the
off-season, and he’s been allowed to come out without any
problems. This athletic department is really like a family and
everyone is really supportive.”
The possibility for conflict between the two sports arose once
again last week after Hollins was selected for the USA National
Team trials. The trials will be held from May 30 to June 1 in
Colorado Springs, Colo. which are the same days of NCAA Regionals
at Stanford, where Hollins is scheduled to compete.
According the athletic department, details are trying to be
worked out so Hollins can compete in both.