QB Magazine Athlete Feature
The final score of the GMSAA championship came down to one throw, and King Holland was the one making it.
He threw the game-winning touchdown in the seventh-grade title game, his favorite moment in football so far. Anyone who knows the rest of his story understands why that moment mattered so much. For three straight years, King has played against older competition, and the players across from him have often been bigger than he is.
“My size,” the Class of 2031 quarterback from Kennesaw, Georgia said when asked about the biggest challenge he has faced. Playing up meant adjusting to bigger, stronger opponents every season. Instead of trying to match them physically, King kept working and focused on the one area where size doesn’t matter: his football IQ. Winning a championship with the final touchdown shows how well that approach has worked.
King has been playing for nine years, which means football has been part of nearly his entire life. It started at home. His dad played the game, and that inspired King to play too. His dad is still one of the biggest influences on his development. “He pushes me the most and is always looking to get me better,” King said.
What King loves most about quarterback is being in charge. He wants to lead his team and take command of the huddle and the offense. When he talks about what makes a great quarterback, leadership comes first, and specifically the kind that comes from setting an example. Next, he points to IQ and knowledge of the game. Both answers make sense for a player who has spent years relying on his mind against bigger competition.
His favorite quarterback is Patrick Mahomes. King admires how Mahomes leads, how he never quits, and his pocket awareness. That last trait is especially important for a smaller quarterback playing up, since the pocket closes faster when the defenders are older and bigger.
King’s development has a strong structure behind it. He trains at Elite 11 Academy in Atlanta and works with quarterback coach Ron Veal, who he says has made a major difference. “We train on specific things and he understands my game,” King said. That kind of focused, individual coaching is part of how a young quarterback turns years of playing up into a real advantage.
The results have been recognized beyond the scoreboard, too. King is a two-time Born to Compete QB of the Year.
Now his goals are simple and direct. He wants to get bigger and stronger, help his team win another championship, and keep growing as a quarterback. He has already shown he can compete with older players, and if he gets bigger, the rest of his game should keep getting better.
Follow King: @3kingholland
Built for the Bigger Stage
King is still in junior high, and his high school career hasn’t started yet. Nobody needs to be scouting him right now, and his family doesn’t need to feel any rush. He does, however, have accomplishments that deserve more attention: two Born to Compete QB of the Year awards, a championship-winning touchdown pass in the GMSAA title game, and three straight seasons of competing against older players. An upgraded QB Magazine membership helps share those moments now, while they’re still fresh.
At Practice Squad, $17.99 a month on X or Instagram, King gets a recruiting profile with his performance and academic stats, one feature article a year, a monthly custom graphic, two monthly story reposts, and 25 percent off camps.
At Starter, $44.97 a month on both X and Instagram, the package expands to two articles a year, four weekly story reposts, and a monthly wall collab that appears on both QB Magazine’s page and King’s. It also includes the monthly custom graphic, social media consulting, consideration for the Top 50 QB Mag Watchlist, priority for the QB Mag College Bus + Camps TOUR, and 50 percent off camps.
For King, the graphics highlight something his size can hide. On the field, people may first notice that he’s smaller than the players around him. A custom graphic puts the focus on his results: a championship touchdown, a QB of the Year award, or a strong game against older opponents. Each month, his production gets presented clearly and professionally.
Reposts carry that work past Kennesaw. QB Magazine shares athlete content with quarterbacks, coaches, and football families around the country. A two-time QB of the Year from the Atlanta area can find an audience there that would never come across his own page by chance.
King’s family is already committed to his development through Elite 11 Academy and private sessions with Ron Veal. When camps are added to the offseason, taking 25 or 50 percent off makes it easier to get more reps in front of new coaches.
These years also have lasting value. King’s high school coaches will one day be looking at a player with years of documented achievements behind him. Every article and graphic King adds between now and then helps build familiarity with his name before his first varsity season.
King started playing because his dad played. He has grown by working with a coach who understands his game and by competing against players bigger than he is. A membership helps preserve that story as it happens, including the championship throw, the awards, and the growth still ahead.
More info: quarterbackmagazine.com/memberships