Soodsma Reaches 700 Boys Hoops Coaching Wins as Unity Launches Another Title Pursuit
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
February 26, 2026
HUDSONVILLE – Hudsonville Unity Christian boys basketball coach Scott Soodsma has been a fixture on the sidelines for more than 40 years.
And while he’s known as a man of faith, a fierce competitor and a coach who pours everything he has into his players, he’s most commonly known as the coach with the blue towel.
“I’ve had the same blue towel for 34 years at Unity, and it’s had holes in it and been sewed up a few times,” the 66-year-old Soodsma said. “It’s been around for a long time.”
The blue towel has been with Soodsma at every game, except for the first game this season against Grandville Calvin Christian.
“I had no idea where it was,” said Soodsma, who retired from teaching last year. “I stuck it in an old diaper bag and thought I would remember that I put it in there, but I didn’t. Luckily, my wife found it. I’ve never not had it except for that first game this year.”
The comfort of having a towel with him during games started during his first season (1983-84) at James Valley Christian, located in Huron, South Dakota.
It has been a lasting presence ever since, although the colors have changed.
“I had a pink towel when I coached girls at Unity, a yellow one at James Valley, and a maroon towel at McBain Northern Michigan Christian,” he said. “I don’t know, it’s just something I started having with me and I’ve had my wife run home from games when I've already been there and forgot it.
“I've sent her back home to get it because I didn’t want to coach without it. It’s been the thing I've been known for, for a long time.”
Soodsma had it with him when he earned his 700th career win as a boys coach in a 69-28 victory over Zeeland West on Feb. 12.
He currently is fifth on the list of winningest coaches in MHSAA boys basketball history with a 688-258 record coaching at Northern Michigan Christian and Unity.
“It’s really amazing, and I've been very blessed to be able to go the length I have gone,” Soodsma said. “There were times when I thought I was done and I was dumb enough to do girls for five years at the same time and I did one season when the girls and boys were together.
“I’ve had a lot of texts and calls from kids after the 700 wins went out in the public and those are things that make it all worthwhile, to hear the comments and the thank-yous for what you did and the part you played in their life. More valuable than that, wanting to be part of their journey and their faith as well has been a big deciding factor in why I've stayed in it.”
Soodsma, who has won over 800 games combined as a boys and girls coach, led McBain Northern Michigan Christian to the Class D boys title in 1987. He won the Division 2 championship at Unity in 2019.
He also coached Unity’s girls to the Class B crown in 2006.
“I still love it,” he said. “I love the kids and I love the competition, but over the years, most people don't realize it, but I have mellowed a lot and I think I’m in it for the right reasons because I enjoy the kids. I want to be a factor in their life, not only from a basketball perspective, but from a Christian perspective and a faith perspective. It means a lot more to me now at my age than when I was 35-40. It’s not about wins and losses anymore.”
Unity Christian senior Kyler Berguis said Soodsma has had a profound impact on his life.
In my three years of having him as my coach I’ve never had someone motivate me more to accomplish a goal we both love so much, and that is winning,” he said. “He’s an amazing motivator, always pushing kids to be their very best every single time he steps on the court, whether that is in practice, games or shootarounds, it doesn't matter.
“You will never not feel the energy that Coach brings to the court, and the crazy thing is he’s been doing it forever. He not only has pushed me in basketball but most importantly he pushes the players off the court in how to be a man of God.”
Past Crusaders standout Gabe Newhof, currently a senior at Division I James Madison in Virginia, said Soodsma’s compassion for his players runs deep.
“Coach has had an incredible impact on my development as a young man,” Newhof said. “Through the mountains and valleys of my life, he has been there for me. When I suffered an awful broken leg, he came and visited me at my house to let me know he cared.
“During my successes in college he has always been a voice of encouragement. I am so glad to have had a coach like him who truly cares about me on a much deeper level than just a player.”
Soodsma has guided this year’s squad to an Ottawa-Kent Conference Black title, which included going a perfect 12-0 in league play, and a 20-3 overall record after Wednesday night’s Division 2 District Semifinal win over host Wyoming Godwin Heights.
The Crusaders’ losses were to state-ranked Rockford, Hudsonville and Freeland. Unity hopes for a deep postseason run but has been hampered recently by sickness and without a couple of its top players.
“This has been a special group,” said Soodsma, who boasts seven seniors. “The one thing we pride ourselves on at Unity is getting better as the year progresses, and I could really see the kids stepping up.
“We knew we had some good kids coming back, but I didn’t think we were playing exceptionally well in December or early January. But in the middle of the month, I started to see some kids really take some huge strides in a lot of ways. The kids have done a great job of coming together as a team, and it’s definitely shown. We’ve been playing some of the best ball we have all year.”
Soodsma has been asked frequently over the past few years when he is going to step away from coaching and retire.
He said he takes each season one at a time, but as he gets older he doesn’t want to miss out on moments with his grandkids, who are scattered through the country.
“I evaluate after every year, and I will evaluate again after this season, but this could be it,” Soodsma said. “I always like to wait till the end of the season before I make any rash decisions.
“I have family all over the United States in Seattle, Denver and South Dakota, so I really want to spend some quality time with my grandkids before they get too old."
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Unity Christian boys basketball coach Scott Soodsma, kneeling, confers with his staff during his team’s 2019 Division 2 Boys Semifinal win over Ludington. (Middle) Soodsma, far right, stands for a photo with his 1987 Northern Michigan Christian Class D boys basketball champion. (Below) Soodsma maps out strategy during a break in the 2006 Division 2 Girls Basketball Final. (MHSAA file photos.)
Breslin Bound: Boys Report Week 12
February 19, 2019
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
We’re almost there. In fact, by delaying this week’s Breslin Bound report until Tuesday, we’re a day closer to the end of this boys basketball regular season and beginning of District play Monday.
But a few league championships remain undecided, and there is still plenty to cover before we switch gears to the postseason.
Next week, we’ll preview the most intriguing District brackets in every division. Click here to get an early look at those matchups.
Breslin Bound is powered by MI Student Aid and based on results and schedules posted for each school at MHSAA.com. To offer corrections or fill in scores we’re missing, email me at [email protected].
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Benton Harbor 72, River Rouge 62 – The Tigers won again in this rematch from last season’s Class B Semifinals – and possible preview of a Division 2 matchup coming next month.
2. New Haven 64, Roseville 55 – The Rockets won the Macomb Area Conference Red/White Tournament title by defeating one Red co-champ in this game after defeating the other Sterling Heights Stevenson in the semifinal.
3. Detroit U-D Jesuit 63, Detroit Catholic Central 54 – The Cubs finished a perfect run through both the Detroit Catholic League Central and then A-B Tournament bracket, with DCC finishing second in both.
4. Detroit Cass Tech 80, Detroit Renaissance 56 – The Technicians have won nine of their last 11 games and with this victory added a Detroit Public School League Tournament title to a shared Midtown championship.
5. Muskegon 66, Kalamazoo Central 59 – The Big Reds claimed this matchup of league leaders to extend their winning streak to 11.
Watch List
With an eye toward March, here are two teams in each division making sparks:
DIVISION 1
• Detroit U-D Jesuit (17-2) – The Cubs have won 11 straight games, with the most notable of the run against DCC twice and Flint Beecher by a point on Jan. 26. The only losses this winter came early, against New Haven on Dec. 1 and then Illinois championship contender Chicago Morgan Park on Jan. 5. Jesuit has reached the MHSAA Quarterfinals five straight seasons and could be on the verge of running that streak to six.
• Ann Arbor Pioneer (17-2) – The Pioneers, 11-10 a season ago, have locked up the Southeastern Conference Red title in a league where four of six teams have winning records. They added an impressive 56-44 win over the weekend against PSL Midtown co-champ Detroit Martin Luther King. The only losses came before the new year, against eventual league winners Canton and Wayne Memorial.
DIVISION 2
• Fremont (16-1) – A 60-59 overtime win over Grant on Friday clinched the Central State Activities Association Gold title, Fremont’s second straight after sharing last season with Big Rapids. This championship is outright, ironically after the Packers opened league play with their only defeat Dec. 7 to Reed City. Next up, Fremont will go for a second straight District title as well.
• Ovid-Elsie (15-1) – The Marauders have clinched a share of the inaugural Mid-Michigan Activities Conference championship, avenging their lone loss of the season Friday with a 69-66 double-overtime victory over second-place (tied) Mount Morris. Ovid-Elsie can clinch outright against the other second-place team, New Lothrop, on Thursday. The Marauders entered the new league coming off last season’s Tri-Valley Conference West title, and they too will play next week for a second straight District trophy.
DIVISION 3
• Iron Mountain (17-0) – The Mountaineers have followed up on last season’s Class C Quarterfinal run with the Western Peninsula Athletic Conference Iron title, plus a repeat championship in the Mid-Peninsula Athletic Conference. Three of Iron Mountain’s first four games this winter were decided by single digits – they haven’t had another closer than 10 since Dec. 7.
• Maple City Glen Lake (16-2) – The Lakers clinched an outright Northwest Conference title with a win over Benzie Central on Saturday and have won six straight since falling to Division 2 Williamston at Saginaw Valley State on Jan. 21. The only other defeat was to another strong Division 2 opponent, Holland Christian, on Dec. 28. Both losses no doubt served as great prep as Glen Lake looks to get back to Breslin after finishing Class C runner-up a year ago.
DIVISION 4
• Dollar Bay (16-3) – After making the Class D Semifinals coming off a perfect regular season in 2018, the Blue Bolts started this one slowly (relatively speaking) at 4-2. But they’ve won nine straight and clinched a share of the Copper Mountain Conference Copper Country championship, with a chance to finish the title outright Friday if they can avenge an earlier loss to Chassell. Dollar Bay also won’t see nemesis Bessemer (the other two defeats) until possibly the Regional if both advance next week.
• Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (15-3) – The Defenders sit second in the Alliance League thanks to a one-point loss Jan. 22 to Division 3 and league leader Potter’s House Christian. But Tri-unity could make another of its usual long postseason runs, especially with Potter’s House in a different division after eliminating the Defenders in the District a year ago. Tri-unity’s only other losses were to Division 3 Pewamo-Westphalia and Grandville Calvin Christian.
Can't-Miss Contests
Be on the lookout for results of these games coming up:
Tuesday – McBain (14-3) at Manton (13-4) – McBain’s 45-42 win on Feb. 5 has the Ramblers still sitting atop the Highland Conference standings, but a Manton win could result in a shared championship when this week is done.
Thursday – Howell (14-5) at Canton (18-1) – The overall Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship game pits the top two teams from the West division.
Friday – DeWitt (16-2) at Okemos (17-1) – The Chiefs own a share of the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue title thanks in part to a 41-35 win over the Panthers on Jan. 18, but DeWitt can grab a share by winning this rematch.
Friday – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern (18-0) at Grand Rapids Northview (14-3) – FHN won the first meeting 64-53 on Jan. 25, but a Northview win could mean a shared Ottawa-Kent Conference White title or more if Northern gets upset Tuesday.
Friday – Detroit Cass Tech (14-5) vs. Detroit U-D Jesuit (17-2) at Calihan Hall – The annual Operation Friendship game pits PSL and Catholic League champs and likely Division 1 state contenders as well.
Second Half’s weekly “Breslin Bound” reports are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Student Financial Services Bureau located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information, including various student financial assistance programs to help make college more affordable for Michigan students. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 savings programs (MET/MESP) and eight additional aid programs within its Student Scholarships and Grants division. Click for more information and connect with MI Student Aid on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTO: Iron Mountain's Marcus Johnson works to get to the basket during a Feb. 1 win over Ishpeming. Iron Mountain is one of 14 unbeaten teams left statewide. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)