Saugatuck kid might be the nicest player in West Michigan

Saugatuck High School sophomore Tommy Bullinger, right, chats with teammate Clark Hamlin during a game at Fennville on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

COMMENTARY

SAUGATUCK, Mich. - This kid had every right to be grumpy after the game.

His team lost - by a lot - and he only scored two points.

But when Saugatuck High School sophomore Tommy Bullinger went through the post-game handshake line, he looked every Fennville player in the eye, smiled and thanked them. Not a fake smile, he legitimately was smiling.

Then he walked straight to the scorer’s table, thanked the scorekeeper, the clock operator, the PA announcer, the two women keeping the scorebook and then thanked me, too. 

In my 20-plus years covering high school sports, I have never seen that before. 

I looked at the woman keeping the Fennville scorebook, who was sitting next to me, and I said “well, that’s a first.” She smiled and said she’d never seen it either.

Saugatuck lost 66-39 on Saturday, Feb. 7, in the Wes Leonard Never Forgotten game. Bullinger started the game and finished with just one bucket. In fact, the PA guy gave someone else credit for his short jumper in the fourth quarter. But then corrected himself. 

If I’m honest, Bullinger, who is a 5-9ish point guard, should be playing on JV. But Saugatuck is having a bad year at 1-14 and needs all the help it can get.

But Bullinger might be leading the league as the nicest kid in West Michigan. And that’s a win in my book. 

Saugatuck High School sophomore Tommy Bullinger gets helped up during in the third quarter of a game at Fennville on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).