Ed Douma learned the basics of basketball at Muskegon’s Western Michigan Christian High School under the school’s great cage patriarch Elmer Walcott. Douma not only became a standout player, but also went on to an illustrious coaching career at both the prep and college level.
Douma was a key player on Christian’s 1962 Class C state championship team. He went on to Calvin College in Grand Rapids where he was a four-year starter for the Knights under inspirational mentor, Barney Steen. By this time he had decided on a basketball coaching career and he was hired by Shelby High School as a teacher and varsity cage coach. With a stable of talented players, including future NBA star Paul Griffin, Douma led Shelby to consecutive Class C state championships in 1971 and 1972. His prep record soon led to a college coaching assignment at Lake Superior State, where he won two conference titles. He went on to coach at Alma College, North Carolina-Greensboro and Kent State where he continued to build on his reputation as a winning coach.
In 1984, his alma mater Calvin College lured Douma back to his West Michigan roots by offering him the head coaching job for their prestigious Division III basketball program. Douma eagerly accepted the new challenge and proceeded to lead the Knights for the next 12 seasons. Under his tenure, Calvin continued to finish at the top of the MIAA conference, falling below second place in the standings only in his final year (third place, 1995-96). Under Douma, Calvin enjoyed seven 20-win seasons and never won less than 15 games during his reign. His 254-72 career mark made him the Knights all-time coaching leader. Among his accomplishments were six MIAA championships, including a Division III national championship in 1992. Their record that year was 31-1 and earned Douma several Coach of the Year awards. Douma was inducted into the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan Hall of Fame in 1995. He retired after the 1995-96 season with an overall collegiate record of 419-189 (.689), which placed him in the top 25 Division III basketball coaches of all time.
In the spring of 1998, Douma returned to coaching at Hillsdale College. The veteran coach posted his 500th career coaching victory on February 8, 2003 with an 86-83 overtime win over Mercyhurst.