HANCOCK — Tom Renier would be the first person to tell you that he learned about basketball the hard way.

The former Soumi College (now Finlandia University) coach said he started reading books on the sport after he was hired as a physical education instructor/coach at Suomi in 1963.

“The sport I was most interested in was football,” said Renier, who gained all-state honors at Green Bay East High. “I never played basketball in high school.”

Before he took over the job, Soumi had a rather modest background in hoops. The school first started playing in the early 1950s and was listed as a junior college.

Renier played football at Montana State before lettering two years at Northern Michigan University before an injury sidelined him.

He said he had to recruit locally to fill his roster at Soumi.

“We had some good local kids. Dennis Miilu (Mass), Larry Kangas (Baraga), Dennis Hietala (Chassell) and others were all good,” he recalled.

And while the Lions won more games than they lost, there was a need for more height and speed.

In the 1965-66 season, Renier recruited 6-foot-5 Dan Sutton from Milwaukee and 6-7 Willie Jerks from Chicago.

“Those two guys were good leapers and scorers,” he said. “We started fast-breaking more than we had.”

After winning 17 games in 1966, Renier was able to add two more solid local players the following season; High-scoring Dave Vetanen of Chassell and ace defender Gary Ollila of Mass.

The Lions’ record improved to 20-3 the next season as the rigid fall training Renier favored paid dividends.

“We were usually in better shape than our competition,” Hietala recalled. “Tom (Renier) made sure of that. And he believed in the fundamentals.”

The Lions continued to win over the next few years and probably reached their pinnacle in the middle 1970s.

Sparked by players like Ernie Montgomery and Matthew Johnson, Suomi came within an eyelash of qualifying for the NJCAA Finals.

Only a halfcourt shot in overtime by an opposing player knocked them out.

“I can see that shot in my dreams,” Tom said of the moment. “I really felt badly for our guys after that night.”

Overall, Renier posted a career record of 308-159. Several of his products (including Montgomery and Johnson at NMU) went on to play Division II and III ball.

He also enjoyed a long career officiating high school football and basketball. The Michigan High School Athletic Association awarded him a 40-year certificate in football.

One of the high points in his refereeing career came in 1999 when he was a member of the crew for the Class C state championship at the Pontiac SilverDome.

Renier worked more than 25 years officiating prep basketball.

He said he had the chance to work with some great people in his long career as an official.

“Guys like John Vaara, Doug Larson, Bob Scholie, Fritz Wilson, Gene Aho and Bob Backon were among the best in the field,” he said. “It was an honor for me.”

Tom coached track and field at Soumi and taught bowling there.

All in all, Renier looks back on his coaching days with fondness.

“I had the opportunity to meet some fine people along the way and make some good friends. Who can ask for more from life?”