Ottawa-Kent Conference

The Ottawa-Kent Conference is an athletic league located in West Michigan. The current owner is Bradley Raredon. 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.

Members[]

School	Mascot	Affiliation	Class	Enrollment	County	Year Admitted	Division
Allendale	Falcons	Public	B	756	Ottawa	1994	Blue
Belding	Black Knights	Public	B	569	Ionia	1995	Silver
Byron Center	Bulldogs	Public	A	1189	Kent	1958#	White
Caledonia	Fighting Scots	Public	A	1476	Kent	1970	Red
Cedar Springs	Red Hawks	Public	A	1074	Kent	1984	Gold
Comstock Park	Panthers	Public	B	535	Kent	1970	Silver
Coopersville	Broncos	Public	A	847	Ottawa	1984	Blue
East Grand Rapids	Pioneers	Public	A	927	Kent	1970	White
East Kentwood	Falcons	Public	A	2678	Kent	1961	Red
Forest Hills Central	Rangers	Public	A	1165	Kent	1960	White
Forest Hills Eastern	Hawks	Public	B	783	Kent	2005	Gold
Forest Hills Northern	Huskies	Public	A	1177	Kent	1972	White
Fruitport	Trojans	Public	B	764	Muskegon	2016	Blue
Godfrey-Lee	Legends	Public	B	501	Kent	1958#	Silver
Godwin Heights	Wolverines	Public	B	742	Kent	1967	Silver
Grand Rapids Catholic Central	Cougars	Private	B	567	Kent	2008	Gold
Grand Rapids Christian	Eagles	Private	B	787	Kent	2008	White
Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills	Bengals	Public	A	1159	Kent	2008	Gold
	Red Hawks	Public	A	1908	Kent	2008	Green
Grand Rapids West Catholic	Falcons	Private	B	466	Kent	2008	Blue
Grand Haven	Buccaneers	Public	A	1944	Ottawa	1985	Red
Grandville	Bulldogs	Public	A	1751	Kent	1970	Red
	Squires	Private	C	278	Kent	1975	Silver
Greenville	Yellow Jackets	Public	A	1068	Montcalm	2003	White
Hamilton	Hawkeyes	Public	B	772	Allegan	1970	Blue
Holland	Dutch	Public	A	1010	Ottawa	1985	Green
Holland Christian	Maroons	Private	B	643	Ottawa	2003	Blue
Holland West Ottawa	Panthers	Public	A	2124	Ottawa	1965	Red
Hopkins	Vikings	Public	B	487	Allegan	1994	Silver
Hudsonville	Eagles	Public	A	2026	Ottawa	1958#	Red
Hudsonville Unity Christian	Crusaders	Private	B	616	Ottawa	1995	Blue
Jenison	Wildcats	Public	A	1508	Ottawa	1970	Red
Kelloggsville	Rockets	Public	B	670	Kent	1958#	Silver
Kenowa Hills	Knights	Public	A	1033	Kent	1965	Gold
Lowell	Red Arrows	Public	A	1107	Kent	1984	White
Middleville Thornapple Kellogg	Trojans	Public	A	939	Barry	1970	Gold
Muskegon	Big Reds	Public	A	1082	Muskegon	2003	Green
Muskegon Mona Shores	Sailors	Public	A	1240	Muskegon	1985	Green
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer	Rockets	Public	A	1118	Muskegon	2003	Green
Northview	Wildcats	Public	A	1102	Kent	1965	White
Rockford	Rams	Public	A	2480	Kent	1970	Red
South Christian	Sailors	Private	B	631	Kent	1967	Gold
Sparta	Spartans	Public	B	771	Kent	1984	Silver
Spring Lake	Lakers	Public	B	825	Ottawa	2016	Blue
Wayland	Wildcats	Public	B	810	Allegan	1970	Gold
Wyoming	Wolves	Public	A	1205	Kent	2012	Green
Zeeland East	Chix	Public	A	934	Ottawa	1965	Green
Zeeland West	Dux	Public	A	1037	Ottawa	2005	Green

• Note: The class and population size are from the 2021-22 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[]

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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.^{[needs update]} 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

• Robert Jackson, former NFL Player
• Ray Bentley, former NFL Player
• Kirk Cousins, current NFL Player
• Mike Dumas, former NFL Player
• Paul Grasmanis, former NFL Player
• Kevin Haverdink, former NFL Player
• Gary Hogeboom, former NFL Player
• Mike Knuble, NHL Player
• Mitch Lyons, former NFL Player
• Jay Riemersma, former NFL Player
• Steve Scheffler, former NBA Player
• Joel Smeenge, former NFL Player
• Joe Staley, Current NFL player
• Matt Steigenga, former NBA Player
• John Vander Wal, former MLB Player
• Brent Gates, former MLB Player
• Loy Vaught, former NBA Player
• Dathan Ritzenhein, Two Time Olympian in Track and Field
• Brian Diemer, Bronze Medalist - 1984 Olympics in Track and Field, three time Olympian
• Luke Jensen, Former professional tennis player who reached a #6 world ranking in doubles.
• Ron Essink, Former NFL Player Drafted 1980 - Grand Valley wrestling All American.
• Ryan McDonald, Former NFL Player - All American and Rose Bowl starter with University of Illinois
• Justin Abdelkader, former NHL player.

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[]

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

External links[]

• O-K Conference

References[]