HUDSON — When the time comes for Hudson wrestling coach Scott Marry to take his final bow, the career wins and numerous championships will mark his legacy.
But for Marry, who now has more career wins than any wrestling coach in Michigan history, it is the people around him who helped him build a championship dynasty over the past four decades.
Marry listed a who’s who of support from superintendent Mike Osborne, Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry superintendent Dan Rogers, and athletic director Jeremy Beal, along with Hudson Wrestling Club president Lindsey Rogers, vice president Sasha Kimling, secretary Melissa Rising, and treasurer Dee Moll as pillars of support for the Hudson program.
“Without a good administration, you are limited, and your resources are limited,” Marry said. “The administration and our program work side by side for the best interest of the athletes involved.”
Marry also cited Trey Reuter, Justin Butts, Lance Patrick, Justin Kimling, Aaron Barker, Mike Rising, Zach Knapp, Emma Pendell, Tyler Mattison, Josh Brockway, Peyton Rogers, Dan Hartley, Cole Marry, and Bronson Marry.
The veteran coach has no immediate plans to retire.
“I still have my family’s support. I still have administrative support. I still have the community support, and I believe God wants me to do what’s best for children,” said Marry, acknowledging his parents, Delmer and Peggy Marry, and wife, Paula.
“The reason I coach is not for the wins or the accolades, it is for the children and for their development,” Marry said. “I believe we need strong men and women to lead this world, and to build good family foundations for years to come.”
Marry led Hudson (37-3) to its 13th Division 4 state championship in 17 finals on Feb. 28, a 50-15 win over Lenawee County Athletic Association rival Clinton.
“The team and the coaching staff focus on getting better every day with a positive mindset,” said assistant coach Trey Reuter, who wrestled for Marry and graduated in 1996. “We work hard, and we believe in the fact that we are doing good for the team, ourselves, and our community.”
Marry is now 983-216 since taking over the Hudson program in 1988-89.
“When I started coaching back in the 1980s as a young adult, I wasn’t even thinking about 40 years from when I started,” Marry said. “I just wanted to help children and knew that I could make a difference in some of their lives.”
Marry installed the middle school program and created the Hudson Wrestling Club in the early years of his tenure as varsity coach.
“I was the only coach for all three levels the first couple of years,” Marry said. “I had an intuition that led me to build a good foundation for the program early on.
“I always felt that if a program had a good feeder system in place, the end results would be as solid as it could be,” he added.
The foundation that Marry created in the early days is unmatched today, and he noted that larger Division 1 and 2 programs do not have the numbers that Hudson puts through its K-12 feeder program. More than 100 boys and girls compete for the Tigers’ programs.
“The consistency this brings to a small program is unmatched at present,” said Marry, who is fortunate enough to have former Tigers return and help the program.
“There are many programs and divisions that try to emulate what we are doing, but the four decades of consistency are tough to overcome for them.”
