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 49 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 Black Knights Public B 597 Ionia 1995 Silver
Byron Center Bulldogs Public A 1083 Kent 1958# White
Caledonia Fighting Scots Public A 1474 Kent 1970 Red
Cedar Springs Red Hawks Public A 946 Kent 1984 Gold
Comstock Park Panthers Public B 636 Kent 1970 Silver
Coopersville Broncos Public B 824 Ottawa 1984 Blue
East Grand Rapids Pioneers Public A 1010 Kent 1970 White
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 Blue
Grand Rapids Catholic Central Cougars Private B 646 Kent 2008 Gold
Grand Rapids Christian Eagles Private A 896 Kent 2008 White
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills Bengals Public A 1020 Kent 2008 Gold
Grand Rapids Union Red Hawks Public A 1810 Kent 2008 Green
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 Blue
Holland Dutch Public A 1140 Ottawa 1985 Green
Holland Christian Maroons Private B 688 Ottawa 2003 Blue
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 Blue
Jenison Wildcats Public A 1457 Ottawa 1970 Red
Kelloggsville Rockets Public B 678 Kent 1958# Silver
Kenowa Hills Knights Public A 959 Kent 1965 Gold
Lowell Red Arrows Public A 1195 Kent 1984 White
Middleville Thornapple Kellogg Trojans Public A 904 Barry 1970 Gold
Muskegon Big Reds Public A 954 Muskegon 2003 Green
Muskegon Mona Shores Sailors Public A 1238 Muskegon 1985 Green
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer Rockets Public A 1103 Muskegon 2003 Green
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 Silver
Spring Lake Lakers Public B 843 Ottawa 2016 Blue
Wayland Wildcats Public B 816 Allegan 1970 Gold
Wyoming Wolves Public A 1238 Kent 2012 Green
Zeeland East Chix Public A 994 Ottawa 1965 Green
Zeeland West Dux Public A 1054 Ottawa 2005 Green
  • Note: The class and population size are from the 2017-18 MHSAA listings. The # next to the year admitted is for founding members.

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 2020-2021 school year. The OK Black division will be abolished. The proposal was passed by a 35-14. With 33 votes or higher to pass. https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2019/10/ok-conference-realignment-proposal-passes-on-third-attempt.html?outputType=amp

OK-Red

  • Caledonia
  • East Kentwood
  • Grand Haven
  • Grandville
  • Hudsonville
  • Rockford
  • West Ottawa
  • Jenison

OK-White

  • Forest Hills Central
  • Forest Hills Northern
  • Greenville
  • Lowell
  • Northview
  • East Grand Rapids
  • Grand Rapids Christian
  • Byron Center

OK-Green

  • Reeths Puffer
  • Wyoming
  • Holland
  • Mona Shores
  • Muskegon
  • Zeeland East
  • Zeeland West
  • Grand Rapids Union

OK-Gold

  • Ottawa Hills
  • Cedar Springs
  • Kenowa Hills
  • South Christian
  • Thornapple-Kellogg
  • Wayland
  • Forest Hills Eastern
  • Grand Rapids Catholic Central

OK-Blue

  • Allendale
  • Fruitport
  • Hamilton
  • Coopersville
  • Spring Lake
  • West Catholic
  • Holland Christian
  • Unity Christian

OK-Silver

  • Kelloggsville
  • Godwin Heights
  • Belding
  • Comstock Park
  • Hopkins
  • Wyoming Lee
  • NorthPointe Christian
  • Calvin Christian
  • Sparta

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.

  • Note: The Comstock Park Championship was determined by Individual Format versus the Team Duel Format.
  • Note: Water polo is not recognized by the MHSAA but the OK Conference allows it full varsity status. The teams compete for the Michigan Water Polo Association (MWPA) State Championship.

Membership Timeline
Fruitport Community SchoolsWyoming High School (Michigan)NorthPointe Christian SchoolsWest Catholic High SchoolGrand Rapids Christian High SchoolUnion High School (Grand Rapids, Michigan)Ottawa Hills High School (Michigan)Creston High School (Michigan)Forest Hills Eastern High SchoolUnity Christian High School (Hudsonville)Holland Christian High SchoolGreenville High School (Michigan)Muskegon High SchoolReeths-Puffer School DistrictKent City High SchoolSpring Lake High SchoolHastings High School (Michigan)Allendale High SchoolHolland High School (Michigan)Mona Shores Public SchoolsCedar Springs Public SchoolsSparta High School (Michigan)Forest Hills Northern High SchoolJenison High SchoolComstock Park Public SchoolsCaledonia High School (Michigan)East Grand Rapids High SchoolRockford High SchoolGodwin Heights Public SchoolsSouth Christian High SchoolKenowa Hills High SchoolWest Ottawa High SchoolEast Kentwood High SchoolForest Hills Central High SchoolKelloggsville Public SchoolsHudsonville High SchoolLee 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
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