Scoring & Sharing, Visser Eyes Eagles' Rise
October 1, 2018
By Dean Holzwarth
Special for Second Half
GRAND RAPIDS – Grand Rapids Christian senior Tommy Visser had a difficult time deciding which aspect of soccer he enjoys the most – scoring goals or distributing.
The question wasn’t easy considering he does both equally well.
“Obviously scoring goals is a ton of fun, but at the same time setting other people up and seeing their reactions when they score or leading up to it is fun,” Visser said. “I think they are pretty equal. Assisting and scoring is a lot of fun.”
Midway through the season, Visser is already in double figures in both goals (11) and assists (15) while helping lead the Eagles to an 11-1 start and No. 2 state ranking in Division 2.
Grand Rapids Christian’s only loss is to top-ranked Forest Hills Northern.
Visser, a four-year varsity player and returning all-state first teamer, is one of the most highly regarded in the state and the catalyst of a veteran Eagles squad that boasts 14 seniors.
“He definitely meets all the hype,” Eagles coach Bruce Pobocik said. “He’s one of the most athletic soccer players I’ve had the privilege to coach, and he’s just a very committed competitor. He has just worked his tail off year after year to become one of the most skilled players, hands down, in the state.”
Visser, who recorded 17 goals and 15 assists as a junior, possesses qualities that set him apart from other players.
Vision, quickness, unselfishness and playmaking abilities are just a few of the attributes that have opposing coaches scrambling to find ways to contain him.
“I’ve had him since his sophomore year, and each year he has continued to get faster, stronger, more technical and more creative with his abilities,” Pobocik said. “He’s our captain, and really is the glue that connects the defense and offense. All play goes through his feet, and he’s a two-touch player who makes the guys around him better.”
Visser is constantly marked by other teams, but he takes it in stride while finding opportunities for his teammates.
“I just continue playing and not worry about it too much,” Visser said. “I have to change up my runs and move positioning, but I think it’s been good because it’s helped me grow as a soccer player. It gives more space and time for my teammates. They have more time to get the ball and attack.”
Pobocik points to Visser’s affinity for spreading the wealth as a reason why he is so hard to stop.
“He looks to connect with his teammates and put them in positions to be successful,” Pobocik said. “And I think that’s why he’s so dangerous. He’s not a player that is going to try and take everyone every time. When he’s double teamed, he’s going to make you pay by putting others in dangerous spots.”
Visser was a highly-recruited college prospect and attracted the attention of several Division I programs.
He received scholarship offers from Michigan State and Western Michigan University, and also considered Calvin College before committing to Butler University.
“For me, Butler was a great fit because it’s a combination of strong academics and a strong soccer program with a coaching staff that I liked,” Visser said.
Visser isn’t thinking about his college future just yet – he’s focused on helping the Eagles make a deeper run in the MHSAA tournament.
Last season, Grand Rapids Christian lost to eventual champion Holland in a Division 2 Regional Final.
“Last year really motivated us to not be satisfied,” Visser said. “We want to go big, and I think it really pushes us to continue working hard each practice and try to get better throughout the season.
“We all get along great and have played together for a while. We have a lot of different players that can impact the game, and all parts of our game are solid.”
While the offense is generated through Visser, the Eagles also have a stout defense behind a superb backline and two capable goalies in senior Daniel Wonder and junior Grayson Parks.
“We knew what we had coming back, and we had big hopes,” Pobocik said. “So far they’re exceeding expectations. Guys have really stepped up in their roles and are playing great team soccer. We’ve had some surprises with guys we didn’t expect to be contributors that are, and that’s been fun.”
The Eagles are two-time reigning Ottawa-Kent Conference Gold champions, but have their sights set on more.
“Losing last year (in the Regional Finals) has us hungry to extend beyond that,” Pobocik said. “They have clear eyes as far as our vision of going deep in the postseason.”
Dean Holzwarth covered primarily high school sports for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years and more recently served as sports editor of the Ionia Sentinel and as a sports photojournalist for WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Tommy Visser keys the Grand Rapids Christian offense as a scorer and distributor. (Middle) Visser works to get past an opponent this fall. (Photos courtesy of the Grand Rapids Christian boys soccer program.)
Heethuis Retires from Unity Boys, Readying Another Girls Title Contender
By
Dean Holzwarth
Special for MHSAA.com
April 21, 2022
HUDSONVILLE – Randy Heethuis has cut his coaching workload in half.
The longtime and successful Unity Christian soccer coach announced last month that he’ll be stepping down from the boys program after 28 years at the helm.
Heethuis is still coaching the girls squad this spring, however, after a health scare last fall altered his priorities.
Heethuis suffered a small stroke following the boys season in October and underwent heart surgery in November to close a hole in his heart.
“When something like that occurs in your life, it causes you to take a step back and reflect a little bit and reprioritize things,” said Heethuis, who guided the boys to five state championships and seven Finals appearances during his tenure.
“As far as I know it’s all good and I’m feeling great, but it’s one of those medical experiences that at my age causes you to reevaluate.”
Heethuis, who turns 60 in a couple months, said he also felt the desire to spend more time with his growing family.
His fifth grandchild was recently born, with another one on the way this fall.
“Just being more accessible to spend time with them and be able to help out with them and go to their games,” Heethuis said. “That was also a big piece of the equation, and as long as I’ve been doing this it gets tougher and tougher. I just felt like all things considered, and at my age, that it was becoming increasingly more difficult for me to give 100 percent to both programs.”
“It was an extremely difficult decision, but I just really felt that this is what I was being led to and it’s been a great run,” Heethuis said. “I’ve enjoyed 28 years doing that, and over the years I’ve really been blessed to have some fine families and awesome siblings to coach.
“It was a real blessing for me to coach that long, but I just felt like someone a little younger and with more energy might have an opportunity to put their stamp on the program and to carry the torch moving forward.”
Heethuis has been asked why he decided to keep coaching the girls and not the boys.
There wasn’t any strong reasoning behind it other than he began his career coaching the girls at Unity 33 years ago.
“I coached the girls for five years before taking on the boys, and this is a nice way to bookend a coaching career,” Heethuis said. “I’m not sure how long the good Lord will bless me to continue (with) the girls, but for the foreseeable future I would like to continue in that respect. Only time will tell.”
Heethuis (502-90-52) ranks among the winningest coaches in MHSAA boys soccer history and tops the list for girls coaches (579-102-38) having also led the Crusaders girls to 10 Finals championships.
The girls opened this season with a tough 1-0 loss to a talented Hudsonville squad, but are unbeaten since.
“I was pleased with how hard our girls competed and played hard and battled, but unfortunately, we came up one goal short,” Heethuis said. “Those are the types of games, as a coach, you hope will make you better moving forward.”
Unity, which is led by returning players Morgan Scholten (goalkeeper), Brianna Rose, Jessie Postma, Jenna Schreiber, Laura Moberg, Jade Taylor, Kyah VanKoevering and Molly Vollink, reached the Division 3 Semifinals last season before losing to Boyne City in a shootout.
“Last year this group snuck up on some people and had a great year,” Heethuis said. “The only game we lost was in the state Semifinal and we were two or three minutes away from making it to the Finals.
“I think we have to try and build on that and hopefully the girls have a hunger for getting back there and wanting to do that again and take it a step further.”
Rose, a junior, believes this year's team can replicate last year's success.
"We have a lot of potential," she said. "We have great additions and returning girls on the team. So far, you can see the motivation in everyone from last season’s tough loss. Everyone on the team shows up and works hard not only for themselves, but more importantly for each other.
"We want to win another state title. Who wouldn’t? And hopefully we can make the season last as long as it can. What I think sets our team apart from the rest is the bond and hard work we do for ourselves and each other with the main goal of honoring our Lord."
The Crusaders have a balanced mix of returning players and newcomers who will attempt to keep the program’s commitment to excellence intact.
“It’s early, but the chemistry on this team is really good and it’s a fun group to be around,” Heethuis said. “We will hopefully take it one game at a time and get better as the season goes on, because there’s real potential there to get it all put together by the end of the year. We hope to do it sooner than later.”
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for four 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 soccer coach Randy Heethuis and his boys team prepare for the kickoff of the 2018 Division 3 Final. (Middle) Heethuis accepts the Division 3 championship trophy with his girls team in 2016. (Click for more from Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)