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BAY CITY, MI – The Bay County Sports Hall of Fame’s mission is to celebrate and commemorate local sports history.
From all sports and all eras.
The Hall of Fame announced its ballot for the 2026 election process, featuring 17 nominees from our community’s athletic past. It features athletes from 10 different sports and seven different decades.
For the second time, balloting is being conducted electronically and the more than 700 Lifetime Voting Members should receive their ballots via email by April 1.
RELATED: Bay County Sports Hall of Fame stories
It’s a diverse ballot that includes athletes ranging from 1950s boxing great Alan Kennedy to 2010s hand-cycling champion Brian Sheridan.
Sheridan is one of eight first-timers on the ballot along with Brian Chartier (speedskating), Ken Fowler (football), Craig Goslin (hockey), Matthew Sandler (tennis), Jay Schultz (track), Jennifer Skuta (softball) and Calen Sutton (baseball).
Returners to the ballot include Kennedy, Kim Henrion Holdwick (softball), Anthony Holyszko (baseball), Willis Johnston (football), Calvin LaForrest (tennis), Jonn Mathews (football), Bill Przygocki (baseball), Bob Stewart (fastpitch) and Keith Volk (football).
To become a Lifetime Voting Member and vote on this year’s ballot – and all future ballots – contribute $30 to the Hall of Fame scholarship fund by visiting baycountysportshof.com.
Those elected to the Hall of Fame — now housed at the Historical Museum of Bay County — are slated for induction at a Nov. 8 banquet at the DoubleTree hotel and conference center.
Here’s a look at the 2026 ballot.
BRIAN CHARTIER
Few can say they reached the pinnacle of their profession, but Chartier has achieved that feat twice in his 31-year career as an official for the International Skating Union. The Bangor Township resident has twice served as official starter at the Winter Olympics, including the 2026 OIympic Games in Milan, Italy. Chartier was chosen as head starter for the women’s short track speedskating events and assistant starter for the men’s events. He also worked in a similar capacity at the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Starting as a local volunteer at Bay County Civic Arena, where he helped nephew Alex Izykowski on his way to a 2006 Olympic bronze medal, Chartier climbed the ranks to work several state and national championships. Earning the highest certification from the ISU in 2014, he officiated across the globe at the U.S. Nationals, American Cup, World Cup, European Championships and four World Championships.
KEN FOWLER
The John Glenn football program grew to powerhouse status, and Fowler stood right at the heart of it. He was regarded as Hall of Fame coach John Loop’s right-hand man during his 24 seasons as an assistant. The Bobcats rolled to a 166-59 record, capturing 10 league championships and earning eight playoff berths during his tenure, highlighted by a run to the 1979 Class B state semifinals. During Glenn’s gridiron heyday from 1976-99, Fowler fostered a quarter-century worth of players through life and football. The Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Famer primarily worked with the offensive linemen and defensive ends, producing a steady stream of standouts, and coordinated Glenn’s scouting duties. A math teacher for 37 years, he also served as assistant coach at Glenn for swimming for seven years, baseball for five years and basketball for one year. He also spent 14 seasons as assistant football coach at Flint Northern.
CRAIG GOSLIN
A 1979 graduate of Bay City All Saints, Goslin has spent the past two decades at the helm of the Saginaw Spirit hockey team. He serves as president and managing partner of the successful junior hockey franchise that competes in the Ontario Hockey League. He has overseen 71 players who were selected in the NHL draft. He brought the 2024 Memorial Cup – junior hockey’s most prestigious tournament – to the Dow Event Center then celebrated as the hometown Spirit captured the top prize. Widely respected across the junior hockey landscape, he sat as chairman of the OHL Board of Governors from 2019-23 and also served on the Board of Directors and Executive Council. He was twice named OHL Executive of the Year. Goslin coordinates the annual Shocks and Saves event, which has raised $800,000 for heart health awareness, and Hockey for the Homeless, which has generated $700,000 for area rescue missions.
KIM HENRION HOLDWICK
Standing at the nucleus of Pinconning’s powerhouse program of the 1990s, Henrion is one of the area’s most accomplished softball players of all time. She was part of Pinconning’s 1992 state champion volleyball team but set herself apart on the diamond. She was a two-time first-team All-Stater, leading the Spartans to the 1993 state title. The left-handed hitting first baseman ranks among Pinconning’s all-time leaders with 171 hits, 136 runs, 106 stolen bases and 107 RBIs. She went on to shine at the Division I college level with Western Michigan University. A teammate with 2025 Hall of Fame inductee Denise Tasiemski and 2024 inductee Angie Rosich on the Broncos, she was a four-year starter. She batted .271 with 15 doubles, seven triples and two home runs in her career and was a perfect 17-for-17 in stolen bases from 1994-97. As a freshman, she roped two triples in a game against Stanford.
ANTHONY HOLYSZKO
Holyszko was a star at every level he played, crafting a sparkling baseball career from Little League to Division I and beyond. The 1994 John Glenn graduate became a four-year fixture at second base for Western Michigan University, where he still ranks 11th all-time with 208 career hits. He also compiled 108 runs, 102 RBIs and 28 stolen bases as a career .313 hitter for the Broncos. Holyszko earned first-team all-Mid-American Conference and second-team all-region in 1997 when he led the team with a .362 average. A three-sport performer at John Glenn, he garnered first-team All-State honors under Hall of Famer Jeff Hartt as a senior. He would play 13 seasons with the famed Halo-Foutch program out of Flint, winning Stan Musial World Series championships in 2001 and 2005. He is now a teacher at Romulus High School.
WILLIS JOHNSTON
One of the area’s great football minds, his impact has been felt in high school programs at Bay City Handy and Bay City Western. But he carved his niche as a next-level strategist at Northwood University, where he served as defensive coordinator under three different head coaches, Jack Finn, Tom Danna and Pat Riepma. He had four different stints with Northwood, each time getting called back to shore up the defense. During his final run from 1996-2001, he helped the Timberwolves to a historic NCAA Division II playoff berth and a 10-2 record in 2000. A teacher in the Bay City school system for 27 years, he was an assistant at Handy from 1969-72 as the Wildcats claimed back-to-back Saginaw Valley League West titles. As defensive coordinator at Bay City Western from 2005-08, he saw the Warriors claim two SVL crowns and the program’s only regional championship. Johnston also worked as a basketball referee with the Bay City Officials Association for 20 years.
ALAN KENNEDY
One of the winningest professional boxers ever to come out of Bay County, he went 26-14-1 and rose to as high as No. 3 in the welterweight rankings. A four-time regional Golden Gloves champion from 1951-54, he was a member of the U.S. National team in 1952, represented Michigan in the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions in 1953 and won the first Ray Karpus Trophy as Bay City’s outstanding fighter in 1954. He won 11 straight bouts early in his professional career before suffering his first loss to Ralph Capone, nephew of the Chicago gangland boss. The T.L. Handy product went on to box in Madison Square Garden before closing out his career with a win in his hometown in 1960. He finished with nine professional knockouts and never lost by KO.
CALVIN LAFORREST
The 1997 Bay City Central graduate has enjoyed a whirlwind tennis journey as his profession, his pastime and his passion. A 25-year teaching professional, he has thrived on the USTA playing circuit. He made history in 2024 by ending the year ranked No. 1 in the nation in the 30-and-over, 35-and-over and 40-and-over age divisions. He was selected to represent the U.S. in the Windmill Cup, a prestigious international tournament played at Wimbledon in 2024. LaForrest played four seasons at No. 1 singles for Central, notching 60 career victories. He went on to excel at Ferris State University from 1997-2001, landing 70 wins and helping the Bulldogs to a GLIAC championship. Team captain as a senior, he led Ferris to a No. 15 national ranking.
JONN MATHEWS
Mathews delivered success at the high school, collegiate and professional levels in a whirlwind football career. He played five seasons in the Danish American Football League, leading his team to Denmark’s equivalent of the Super Bowl and finishing second in league MVP voting in 2014. He also served as a coach for the Danish national team. The 2004 Essexville Garber graduate earned All-State when he helped the Dukes to their first district title, catching 48 receptions for 814 yards and 11 touchdowns. He earned Bay City Times Dream Team honors in basketball, scoring a school-record 545 points in a season, including 42 in one game. He went on to star at Grand Valley State University, helping the Lakers win four straight GLIAC football championships and NCAA Division II national championships in 2005 and 2006. As a senior, he led GVSU with 40 receptions for 624 yards and 12 TDs. He returned home for one season and coached All Saints to its first winning record and playoff berth in five years in 2015.
BILL PRZYGOCKI
Not too many players can match Przygocki’s claim of being selected three times in the Major League Baseball draft. The 1972 Bay City Central graduate was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the 38th round out of high school. He was drafted again by the Giants in the fifth round of the 1973 January draft and by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 1974 January draft. He played two seasons at St. Clair County Community College and two at Aquinas College. He went 8-0 as a junior at Aquinas, then garnered NAIA all-American accolades as a senior in 1977. He still ranks eighth in program history for innings pitched that season. He pitched Detroit ITM to the national title in summer ball in 1975. He was inducted into the NEM Hall of Fame in 2021.
MATTHEW SANDLER
One of the all-time greats from Essexville Garber’s powerful boys tennis program, Sandler went on to star at Michigan State University. A four-year letterwinner for the Spartans from 1978-81, he earned first-team all-Big Ten honors and was named to MSU’s all-Century Team in 2000. He played No. 1 or No. 2 singles for three seasons for the Spartans. Sandler helped send Hall of Fame coach Harold Holcomb’s program to new heights as a 1977 Garber graduate. He was a three-time state qualifier, posting a 44-5 record in two seasons at No. 1 singles. He led the Dukes to a fifth-place showing in the team standings as a senior, reaching the semifinals at No. 1 singles before losing to the eventual state champion. Winner of many state and local tournaments, he won the 1980 USTA Western under-21 championship.
JAY SCHULTZ
Taking his talents to soaring heights, Schultz established himself as the greatest pole vaulter in Bay County history. The 1996 Bay City Central graduate set a school record of 15 feet, 5 inches that still stands 20 years later. He cemented his legacy by winning the Class A state title as a senior, finishing as a three-time state qualifier and two-time state medalist. The two-time regional champion competed in the Tri-State Meet of Champions in 1996. Schultz went on to earn All-American status at Saginaw Valley State University. He finished eighth in the NCAA Division II nationals in 1998 and sixth in 1999 in his signature event. He won three straight GLIAC outdoor championships and added one indoor crown. He cleared a career-high of 16 feet, 4 inches at SVSU. He has since become a teacher and track coach in Colorado.
BRIAN SHERIDAN
A man who refuses to let his disabilities outweigh his abilities, Sheridan turned himself into a world-class hand cyclist who reached the pinnacle of his sport. A standout basketball and football player as a 1993 John Glenn graduate, he suffered a cervical spinal cord injury while training with the Central Michigan University gymnastics club. After competing in wheelchair rugby for 10 years, he shifted to hand cycling and soared. A member of the U.S. Paralympic Cycling Team from 2013-16, he was a four-time silver medalist at the USA National Championships and won a pair of gold medals at international World Cup competitions. After winning gold at the 2015 ParaPan-American Games, he earned a spot on Team USA for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, garnering a bronze medal in the time trials event. A physical therapist by trade, he founded Fusion Medical and Level Eleven, devoted to getting injured people back in the game of life.
JENNIFER SKUTA
One of the greatest players in the tradition-rich history of Pinconning softball, she set herself apart at Central Michigan University as well. The three-time all-Mid-American Conference selection helped power the Chippewas to four MAC Tournament championships and four NCAA Tournament berths. She led the league with seven home runs, 38 RBIs and 20 walks as a senior in 2002. Skuta still ranks among CMU’s all-time Top 10 with 36 doubles and 98 RBIs in her career. The left fielder also earned second-team academic All-American. A three-time first-team All-Stater at Pinconning, she graduated with virtually every school record, including 244 hits, 43 doubles, 32 triples, 19 home runs and 215 RBIs and batted .578 as a senior in 1997. She sparked the Spartans to four league and district titles and a run to the 1995 state semifinals. Skuta went on to a 14-year career in the U.S. Army and currently works for the Veterans Benefits Administration in Milwaukee.
BOB STEWART
Perhaps the most complete player in Bay City during the heyday of fastpitch softball, winning followed wherever Stewart went. A left-handed leadoff hitter and center fielder, he was the sparkplug behind four state championship teams. He helped powerhouse teams Roma’s Inn, Made Rite, Arrow TV and the Saginaw Bolters rule the fastpitch realm. In the 1978 Class A state tournament, he batted 9 for 13 and blasted a grand slam in the title game. The 1965 T.L. Handy graduate played two seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. He was inducted into the Michigan Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 2013. He remained active in sports as a local basketball and softball official until his recent passing.
CALEN SUTTON
A natural leader who was driven to get the most out of his abilities, he played quarterback in football, point guard in basketball and shortstop in baseball as a 2004 Bay City Central graduate. He took his game to the Division I college level and played two seasons professionally in baseball. Sutton spent two years at Jackson State Community College in Tennessee, leading the team in saves and ERA while sparking the Generals to a league championship. He earned Division I status at the University of Tennessee-Martin, posting a 4-3 record and a team-best 4.92 ERA on a squad that went 10-41 in 2008. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-hander pitched professionally in independent ball with the Lincoln Saltdogs and Evansville Otters then spent one year as pitching coach at Northwood University.
KEITH VOLK
One of the last stars of the Bay City Visitation football program, he helped power the Panthers to an undefeated season in their final year of existence. A two-time all-state lineman under coach Wayne Fontes, he was a pivotal part of the 1965 squad that won the Valley Parochial League title and was inducted into the Bay County Sports Hall of Fame. He also led the league in scoring and rebounding that year on the basketball court. Volk went on to star at Western Michigan University, earning first-team all-MAC honors at offensive guard in 1969. He was a three-time academic all-MAC honoree and received a tryout invitation with the Green Bay Packers.