Niles' Arnold Remembered as Teacher & Leader, 'Doing Exactly What He was Meant To Do'
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
January 13, 2026
NILES – Throughout his 22-year career coaching varsity girls basketball at Niles High School, Jim Arnold required one thing from his players.
Just have fun.
"Jim always stressed to his players that the one thing he wanted them to do when on the floor was to just have fun playing the game," said George Brawley, who served 15 seasons as one of Arnold's assistant coaches at various levels.
Arnold, 81, died Dec. 9 following an extended illness.
But throughout his career, Arnold's teams did much more than just enjoy themselves. The Benton Harbor native built a highly-successful program at Niles, where he achieved an overall win-loss record of 360-139 from 1986-2008, with 19 winning seasons. Under Arnold's watch, the Vikings captured seven conference titles, 10 District championships – including nine straight from 1997-2005 – and five Regional crowns.
Among Arnold's other accomplishments were being named Class B Coach of The Year by The Associated Press in 1998 and receiving honorable mention in 1997, along with selection by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan as Region 5 Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2004. He was also named conference Coach of the Year seven times and received the Herb Quade Memorial Sportsmanship Award for the 2002-2003 season.
Arnold also coached Niles to back-to-back District championships in softball in 1993 and 1994.
As young athlete himself, Arnold excelled on the baseball diamond. A successful player while at Benton Harbor, he also played on Twin City American Legion teams and was known as a team captain and a coach on the field. Arnold later had an invitation to try out at the professional level with the Baltimore Orioles, but an injury ended his pursuit of that dream.
Arnold later played third base for Bargain Center, a slow-pitch softball team that won a regional championship and went on to play in the national title game in St. Louis, Mo.
His daughters Sonya and Allison were among the athletes that Arnold mentored during his coaching career. Sonya (Martinez), his oldest daughter, played for her father in eighth grade.
"He made the game fun, and you wanted to do your best because you didn't want to disappoint him. He poured his heart into each and every practice and game because preparation mattered to him. He demanded excellence, and every player became better because of his coaching ability," said Martinez, a 1986 Niles graduate.
Allison (Clay) his youngest daughter, played on the 1990 Niles varsity squad that finished 25-1, winning conference, District and Regional titles. She is a 1991 graduate.
"It was awesome playing for my dad. Some of my best memories in my life were during that time,” Clay said. “He had high standards and inspired others to be the best version of themselves. He put his heart and soul into what he did, and I had a front-row seat to that."
Linda Arnold has fond memories as a coach's wife.
"I loved watching my husband coach because of the joy it brought him. His passion, intensity and the love he had for his players was genuine,” she said. “It was more than a game. It was more about developing players in the area of discipline, teamwork and giving your all. Even in the busiest part of the season, he always made me feel like a priority. I didn't just watch a coach. I watched a man doing exactly what he was meant to do.
"My husband coached with passion, but he loved his family with intention. My girls would go to his practices and we all attended his games, and we had the team over for team dinners. His players were a part of our extended family. He made sure we felt a part. He was the best coach in the world, and he was mine."
Jim Arnold was highly respected by his coaching peers. He was kind and treated everyone with dignity. The community of Niles knew what he stood for and they knew his standards were high. He was admired for his preparation and understanding of the game as well as his commitment to doing things the right way. He was strict but fair and treated everyone the same, whether you were the star player or last one off the bench, Martinez explained.
"Developing his players' character was far more important to him than winning," she said. "Dad lived what he taught. He modeled humility, hard work and lived a life of integrity. He made people better by being a part of their lives."
When Jim Arnold first began his junior high teaching career in Niles, he also coached the boys junior high basketball team. There were no girls basketball teams at the time, so a girl tried out for the boys team. She was good enough to make the team, so Arnold kept her. The following school year, the principal asked Arnold to organize a girls team – and the rest was history.
Former Niles varsity girls basketball coach Jessica Johnson, a teammate of Clay’s, recalls the experience of playing for Coach Arnold.
"Coach Arnold taught us discipline, resilience and always required 110 percent effort from you. He would instill confidence in you while still holding you accountable," said Johnson, now an assistant women’s basketball coach at Southwestern Michigan College.
Johnson recalls Arnold's use of comic strips as a teaching tool to help his players improve upon their mistakes.
"If you had a game where you didn't shoot very well or took questionable shots, he would place pictures of bricks in the gym the day following the game," Johnson said.
"Coach Arnold went out of his way to build that relationship and trust with his players. He gave us lessons that extended way beyond the court that made us better people."
Mark Haase, a Niles alumnus and the current Vikings head varsity boys basketball coach, also had the privilege of playing for Arnold.
"I played freshman basketball for Coach Arnold. It was one of the most disciplined and well-conditioned teams I ever played on. He ran a tight ship, but it was done out of love and concern for his players. He has a great family and is a Niles legend," Haase said.
Niles athletic director Matt Brawley referred to Arnold as an amazing teacher, coach and individual in the school and community.
"Coach Arnold would never ask you to do anything he wouldn't do. He was very structured and expected a lot out of his players, and he got results without excuses,” Brawley said. “He was a true leader of Niles athletics. He was an unbelievably kind and humble individual.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Jim Arnold poses for a photo with his granddaughters following a Niles girls basketball game. (Middle) Arnold signals for a timeout. (Below) Linda and Jim Arnold, seated (middle) take a photo with their daughters and their families. (Photos courtesy of the Niles athletic department and Arnold family.)
Onsted Quickly Finding Winning Combinations During Fast Starts
By
Doug Donnelly
Special for MHSAA.com
December 28, 2021
ONSTED – Austin Davis played college basketball under John Beilein and Juwan Howard at the University of Michigan. One of the lessons he brought home with him after four years with the Wolverines is now helping the Onsted boys basketball team excel.
“Austin talks to our team all of the time about being a star in your own role,” Onsted boys basketball coach Brad Maska said. “Whatever it is you do, whether it’s rebounding or scoring, you need to be a star in your specific role. That’s his message, and it's really made our team better.”
Davis is finished with the Wolverines, but not basketball. The Onsted graduate helps at practices and games when he can, and Maska said his presence is one of the reasons the Division 2 Wildcats were 5-0 heading into a holiday tournament this week that features teams from three states.
“Him just being here, being a part of it, is big for our guys,” Maska said. “We are lucky to have him.”
Davis also is tutoring his younger brother, 6-foot-9 sophomore Ayden Davis.
The younger Davis came on strong as the season went on last winter, and he has started this season even better, averaging better than 21 points a game. He scored 30 against Hanover-Horton and has a 20-rebound game to his credit as well.
“As coaches we learned so much when we had Austin,” Maska said. “All of the things we are trying to do with Ayden are things we didn’t do with Austin. We want to play fast, get out and run, and Ayden can run up and down the floor.”
Onsted has an interesting roster mix. There are five seniors, including captains Dayton Henagan and Harry Moore, who return from last season’s 14-4 team. There are three juniors, Davis is one of two sophomores, and there are two freshmen – Aidan Paquin and JT Hill – who played big roles in the first five wins.
“The collection of kids we have around Ayden is second to none,” said Maska, in his 15th year as Onsted head coach. “It all starts with our seniors and how they have bought in to what we are doing. We had a great summer together, and it is showing.”
Hill and Paquin both have hit big shots already this season. Junior Bradlee VanBrunt hit six 3-pointers in a win over Jonesville. Henagan is averaging six rebounds, five steals and five assists per game, and Moore has been filling up the stat sheets.
“It hasn’t been just one guy,” Maska said. “That’s what has been so exciting. Everyone is contributing, one through 11.”
Ayden grew up around the Onsted program while Austin was a three-year starter for the Wildcats. Their father, Eric Davis, remains an assistant coach. Ayden said he’s grateful for the work Austin puts in with him.
“We have a great relationship, and I’m so grateful for him being here and helping me,” Ayden said. “He helps with my shot, my footwork. He learned from Coach Beilein and Coach Howard. He’s bringing that to working with me. I’m very excited to work with him.
“He’ll put his shorts on and pull out the old basketball shoes sometimes and we go at it. It makes me a better player.”
Henagan, a 6-2 senior forward, is second on the team in scoring, putting up between 11 and 19 points in every game this season. He said as a captain, it's his role to ensure the younger players on the team are integrated into everything the team does.
“This summer was really important because we gelled right away,” he said. “Having that time brought everyone close together. Now we hang out and do things together as a team. It’s been big for us. We all trust each other. The summer really gave us a head start.”
Maska has upgraded the Wildcats’ schedule this season. They played three games over the first five nights of the season, are playing in the North Central Tournament in Ohio this week and will play at a Martin Luther King Day event in Ohio against Toledo St. Francis, a Division 1 school in its state.
“I like to play different teams,” Maska said. “In the summer we will play all over the place. We want to play the best and see how we stack up.”
It’s a good time for basketball all around at Onsted. The Wildcats JV boys are also undefeated, and the Onsted girls varsity is 5-0 after knocking off Brooklyn Columbia Central on Dec. 16. The Golden Eagles had won 34 straight Lenawee County Athletic Association games before the Wildcats beat them, 46-34, with great defense down the stretch.
Varsity girls head coach Brandon Arnold likes the versatility of his team.
“We have four guards, and we can do a lot of different things with them,” he said.
Senior Kaylei Smith, a Siena Heights University signee, is off to a great start with 85 points in five games, and sophomore Hailey Freshcorn is a gym rat who is fast and the ringleader on defense.
“She never comes out of the gym,” Arnold said.
Onsted won 14 games last year and graduated four-year starter and 1,000-point scorer Mya Hiram.
“No one expected us to start like this,” Arnold said. “But the girls have embraced it. We’re like the underdog right now.”
The Wildcats girls got a late start to the season due to the volleyball team reaching the Quarterfinals, and then battled some COVID-19 issues. They are rolling now but have some tough games coming up.
“We have a lot of momentum and confidence right now,” Arnold said. I like how we are playing, and the things we are doing.”
Doug Donnelly has served as a sports and news reporter and city editor over 25 years, writing for the Daily Chief-Union in Upper Sandusky, Ohio from 1992-1995, the Monroe Evening News from 1995-2012 and the Adrian Daily Telegram since 2013. He's also written a book on high school basketball in Monroe County and compiles record books for various schools in southeast Michigan. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Jackson, Washtenaw, Hillsdale, Lenawee and Monroe counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Onsted’s Dayton Henagan (3) makes his move toward the basket during a win over Hudson. (Middle) Past star Austin Davis coaches up one of Onsted’s current contributors. (Photos by Deloris Clark-Osborne.)