Excelsior Springs, Mo.—After more than thirty years of shaping athletes and students alike, Excelsior Springs High School (ESHS) head baseball coach and longtime educator Aaron Holst has announced his retirement following the 2024-25 school year.
Holst began his career in education and coaching at Stewartsville, Missouri, fresh out of college—a time he fondly remembers as “a wonderful experience.” But with his wife Lisa being a Kansas City native, the couple hoped to move closer to the metro. That opportunity came when Holst attended a teacher placement day and learned that Excelsior Springs was looking for a teacher who could also coach basketball and baseball.
He accepted the job and began as the junior varsity basketball coach while volunteering with the baseball program. By the spring of 1996, he officially joined the baseball coaching staff. Over the next five years, Holst served under head coach Vic Bonucci before taking the reins as head coach in 2001.
“I coached basketball for 30 of my 32 years,” Holst said. “I played football, basketball, and baseball in high school and college—but baseball has always been my love.”
Under Holst’s leadership, ESHS Baseball achieved several milestones, including:
A perfect conference season in 2006
Six MSHSAA Final Four appearances
Three district championships since 2011
Known for his emphasis on preparing athletes for next-level play, Holst intentionally scheduled challenging matchups. In 2023, for example, 29 of the team’s 42 games were against larger-class schools to help sharpen his players’ skills and competitiveness.
Holst credited much of the team’s success to strong community, district, and parental support. “The success we’ve had is bigger than me—it’s because of the people in this community,” he said.
Among his most cherished memories are those involving his family—particularly coaching his oldest son, Simon, during the team’s 2018 Final Four run. The two later shared the dugout again as coaches when the Tigers made another Final Four appearance in 2023.
“There’s a small fraternity of guys who’ve had the chance to coach their own kids at this level,” Holst reflected. “It’s pretty cool.”
Though stepping away from full-time coaching, Holst plans to stay involved in ESHS athletics through part-time fundraising and possibly assisting with the middle school cross country team. He’s also looking forward to spending more time with his wife, perhaps wintering in Florida, and staying active with golf and pickleball.
As ESHS prepares to name a new head baseball coach, Holst offered words of encouragement: “Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care. Working for ESHS is a destination career; it’s a beautiful facility with great players.”
His retirement marks the end of an era at ESHS, and many in the community have shared their appreciation. Current and former activities directors Jesse Hall and Eric Marshall praised Holst’s long-standing commitment, saying, “His dedication to the students of Excelsior Springs has been truly unmatched over the years. He has consistently been a tireless worker and a true team player. His record within the district speaks for itself.”
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