Ottawa-Kent Conference

The Ottawa-Kent Conference is an athletic league located in West Michigan. It has member schools from Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Montcalm, Muskegon, and Ottawa Counties. It has 48 member schools that partake in athletics. According to the MHSAA they have the main offices located at Grandville High School. The current commissioner is Jim Haskins. Dave Bos is an assistant commissioner of the conference.

Members

School Mascot Affiliation Class Enrollment County Year Admitted Division
Allendale Falcons Public B 792 Ottawa 1994 Blue
Belding Redskins Public B 597 Ionia 1995 Silver
Byron Center Bulldogs Public A 1083 Kent 1958# Green
Caledonia Fighting Scots Public A 1474 Kent 1970 Red
Calvin Christian Squires Private C 340 Kent 1984 Silver
Cedar Springs Red Hawks Public A 946 Kent 1984 White
Comstock Park Panthers Public B 636 Kent 1970 Blue
Coopersville Broncos Public B 824 Ottawa 1984 Blue
East Grand Rapids Pioneers Public A 1010 Kent 1970 Gold
East Kentwood Falcons Public A 2639 Kent 1961 Red
Forest Hills Central Rangers Public A 1258 Kent 1960 White
Forest Hills Eastern Hawks Public B 794 Kent 2005 Gold
Forest Hills Northern Huskies Public A 1108 Kent 1972 White
Fruitport Trojans Public B 865 Muskegon 2016 Black
Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars Private B 646 Kent 2008 Blue
Grand Rapids Christian Eagles Private A 896 Kent 2008 Gold
Grand Rapids Northpointe Christian Mustang Private C 327 Kent 2012 Silver
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills Bengals Public A 1020 Kent 2008 White
Grand Rapids Union Red Hawks Public A 1810 Kent 2008 Black
Grand Rapids West Catholic Falcons Private B 505 Kent 2008 Blue
Godfrey-Lee Rebels Public B 558 Kent 1958# Silver
Godwin Heights Wolverines Public B 679 Kent 1967 Silver
Grand Haven Buccaneers Public A 2032 Ottawa 1985 Red
Grandville Bulldogs Public A 1750 Kent 1970 Red
Greenville Yellow Jackets Public A 1158 Montcalm 2003 White
Hamilton Hawkeyes Public B 783 Allegan 1970 Green
Holland Dutch Public A 1140 Ottawa 1985 Green
Holland Christian Maroons Private B 688 Ottawa 2003 Green
Holland West Ottawa Panthers Public A 2200 Ottawa 1965 Red
Hopkins Vikings Public B 524 Allegan 1994 Silver
Hudsonville Eagles Public A 1893 Ottawa 1958# Red
Hudsonville Unity Christian Crusaders Private B 606 Ottawa 1995 Green
Jenison Wildcats Public A 1457 Ottawa 1970 Black
Kelloggsville Rockets Public B 678 Kent 1958# Silver
Kenowa Hills Knights Public A 959 Kent 1965 Black
Lowell Red Arrows Public A 1195 Kent 1984 White
Middleville Thornapple Kellogg Trojans Public A 904 Barry 1970 Gold
Muskegon Big Reds Public A 1058 Muskegon 2003 Black
Muskegon Mona Shores Sailors Public A 1238 Muskegon 1985 Black
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer Rockets Public A 1186 Muskegon 2003 Black
Northview Wildcats Public A 1118 Kent 1965 White
Rockford Rams Public A 2485 Kent 1970 Red
South Christian Sailors Private B 602 Kent 1967 Gold
Sparta Spartans Public B 815 Kent 1984 Blue
Spring Lake Lakers Public B 843 Ottawa 2016 Blue
Wayland Wildcats Public B 816 Allegan 1970 Gold
Wyoming Wolves Public A 1238 Kent 2012 Gold
Zeeland East Chix Public A 994 Ottawa 1965 Green
Zeeland West Dux Public A 969 Ottawa 2005 Green

Classifications

As of the 2006-07 school year the conference has put a requirement in writing for which sports they want all schools to have a varsity level program in. Those include Baseball, Basketball (boys & girls), Football, Softball (girls), Track & Field (boys & girls), Volleyball (girls), and Wrestling

They also listed a second group of sports which they want a minimal of two more sports in varsity level. Those include Bowling (boys & girls), Competitive Cheer (girls), Cross Country (boys & girls), Golf (boys & girls), Gymnastics (girls), Ice Hockey, Soccer (boys & girls), Swimming (boys & girls), Tennis (boys & girls), and Water Polo (boys & girls)

Furthermore, for expansion purposes they must have a JV program in the mandatory programs along with adding freshman programs. This has been a change when in 2004 they wanted freshman programs in all of the required programs instead they want to see improvement in the schools to have them form one when participation is high enough to warrant it.

Sports not listed as ones they will offer varsity status for include Lacrosse (boys & girls) and Skiing (boys & girls).

Current Alignment

This new alignment will be enacted starting in the 2016-2017 school year. The OK Bronze division was abolished and alignments were adjusted. Hastings left for the Interstate-8 Conference, Fruitport and Spring Lake were added.[1]

OK-Red

OK-White

OK-Black

OK-Green

OK-Gold

OK-Blue

OK-Silver

2008-2012 Alignment

This alignment was enacted starting in the 2008-09 school year after the Grand Rapids City League was officially absorbed into the conference. This alignment continued until the conclusion of the 2011-2012 school year when another major re-alignment occurred.

Red Division

Black Division

White Division

Gold Division

Blue Division

Green Division

Silver Division

Past realignments

Every two years, the conference realigns itself due to changes in school sizes as some school districts increase at a large rate while others may stay constant or decline. Along with the changes in school populations, they also hear requests to join the conference. The process is a lengthy one and requires a 75% majority of the member schools to allow any new school in the conference. The Grand Rapids City League will be joining the conference for the 2008–2009 season. According to the Grand Rapids Press, the principals passed the league with a 43 to 1 vote. The future alignment for the expansion is still on the table but the one currently being discussed will have seven divisions (one more than present) and has been passed by the committee of athletic directors 34 to 10. It is in line with what the conference has done in the past. The executive board is made up of at least one principal from each division would have to pass the alignment on April 18. After that the Executive Council made up all of the principals will ratify it by May 9. The thought process is only do minor alignment change in two years followed by a possible major realignment in fours depending on different factors. The difference would be actual schools added to the conference or change in the number of divisions versus just flip flopping schools around.

According to the GR Press, seven schools voted no for several different reasons. Two schools, Lowell and Zeeland West did not show up for the meeting and as such no votes were given to them. The other schools include Lee, East Kentwood, Hudsonville, Jenison, and Middleville. The reasons given by the press for their no votes were because of concerns about the possibility that the four Grand Rapids Public Schools might drop their athletic programs, because of the enrollment differential in some divisions and because of the size of some of the divisions. According to past policies of those schools and previous article quotes from those schools it is assumed what schools felt which way. For Jenison, Hudsonville, and Lee it was the enrollment differences along with the size of their division. East Kentwood and probably Middleville were upset with the Athletic Director of the Grand Rapids Public Schools discussing saving money by eliminating two high school ADs after the first two votes of the conference to let them into the conference.

All seven City League schools officially became full members of the OK Conference beginning with the 2008–09 school year.

The Swimming Conferences were realigned for the 2011–2012 school year and consist of only four levels.

Notable alumni

Notable Alumni who have participated athletically in the OK Conference

State championships

Schools that have won MHSAA (unless otherwise noted) state championships while being members of OK Conference.

Membership Timeline

Fruitport Community Schools Wyoming High School (Michigan) NorthPointe Christian Schools Grand Rapids Catholic Central High School West Catholic High School Grand Rapids Christian High School Union High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan) Ottawa Hills High School (Michigan) Creston High School (Michigan) Grand Rapids Central High School Forest Hills Eastern High School Unity Christian High School (Hudsonville) Holland Christian High School Greenville High School (Michigan) Muskegon High School Reeths-Puffer School District Kent City High School Spring Lake High School Hastings High School (Michigan) Allendale High School Holland High School (Michigan) Mona Shores Public Schools Cedar Springs Public Schools Lowell High School (Lowell, Michigan) Sparta High School (Michigan) Forest Hills Northern High School Jenison High School Comstock Park Public Schools Caledonia High School (Michigan) East Grand Rapids High School Rockford High School Grandville High School Godwin Heights Public Schools South Christian High School Kenowa Hills High School Northview High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan) West Ottawa High School Wyoming Park High School East Kentwood High School Forest Hills Central High School Rogers High School (Wyoming, Michigan) Kelloggsville Public Schools Hudsonville High School Lee High School (Wyoming, Michigan)

Ottawa Kent OK-Blue OK-Red OK-Red Metro/Lakeshore OK-White OK-Gold OK-Silver OK-Black OK-Green OK-Bronze

References

  1. ↑ "OK Conference realignment update: Jenison, Wyoming on the move - MLive.com". highschoolsports.mlive.com. Retrieved 2015-10-30.
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