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O.K. Conference 50th Year AnniversaryEXECUTIVE SECRETARIES OF THE O.K. CONFERENCE Ed Taylor 1963 – 1982 Assistant Directors
COMMISSIONER OFFICE ESTABLISHED IN 2005 Commissioner Assistant Commissioner
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY OF O.K. CONFERENCE
1958 – 1959: First year of existence with the following charter schools: Byron Center and Rogers (Barkenall League), Hudsonville (KenNewWa League), Lee (Grand Valley League), and Kelloggsville (independent). Forest Hills, a school with classes no higher than the 10th grade, will become a member in 1960, at which time it will be a full high school. 1961 – 1962: Two (2) schools, Wyoming Park (Grand Valley League) and Kentwood (independent), were added to bring the total to eight (8) Conference members. 1965 – 1966: Five (5) schools were added: Kenowa Hills, Northview (independents), South Christian (4C League), West Ottawa and Zeeland (Grand Valley League). The Conference now consisted of 13 members who were divided into two (2) divisions – Red and Blue. 1967 – 1968: Godwin (Valley Coast League) was added to bring the total to 14, and South Christian was shifted to the Blue to balance the divisions at seven (7) schools each. 1970 – 1971: Nine (9) schools joined the Conference: Caledonia, Hamilton, Middleville, Wayland (Expressway League), Comstock Park and Rockford (Tri-River League), East Grand Rapids and Grandville (Valley Coast League), Jenison (independent). This raised the total to 23 schools and resulted in the formation of the White Division. 1972 – 1973: When the Forest Hills School District split into two (2) schools, the Conference total reached 24, and there was some shuffling of schools between the Red and White division. 1974 – 1975: There were no new schools added, but Kelloggsville and Hudsonville switched divisions. 1978 – 1979: Two (2) schools, Kelloggsville and Wayland, traded places in the White and Blue divisions. 1984 – 1985: Five (5) more schools were added: Calvin Christian (4C League), Cedar Springs, Coopersville, Lowell, and Sparta (Tri-River League). The membership now reached 29, and a fourth division, the Gold, was added, along with a major shuffling of schools. 1985 – 1986: Grand Haven and Muskegon Mona Shores (Lake Michigan Athletic Conference) and Holland (Big Eight Conference) were added to the Red Division, bringing the total to 32 schools divided into four (4) divisions of eight (8) schools each. 1988 – 1989: The membership total remains at 32, but there was some shuffling in the divisions with the changes in school enrollments. 1994 – 1995: To accommodate those schools with lower enrollments, three (3) schools were added: Allendale, Hopkins, and Saugatuck (River Valley Conference). The Silver Division came into existence, and there was movement of schools between divisions as the total membership reached 35. 1995 – 1996: Conference membership reached 39 with the addition of Belding (North Central League), Hastings (Twin Valley League), Spring Lake (Seaway Conference), and Unity Christian (independent). 2000 – 2001: Conference membership dropped to 38 as Spring Lake joined the Western Waterways Conference. Kent City was added to the Silver Division. 2003 – 2004: Conference membership reached 42 as Saugatuck left to join the Southwestern Athletic Conference and these schools were added: Greenville (Mid-Michigan Athletic Conference), Muskegon (Independent), Muskegon Reeths Puffer (Independent), and Holland Christian (Independent). The Red Division split into a Red Metro and a Red Lakeshore, and major shuffling took place in all six (6) divisions. 2005 – 2006: Conference membership reached 44. Zeeland Public Schools went from one high school to two high schools (Zeeland East and Zeeland West). Forest Hills Public Schools added a third high school, Forest Hills Easter. These additions created a new division (Green). 2005 – 2006: Conference created Commissioner's position.
2007 – 2008: To accommodate enrollment changes, the following six schools changed divisions: Muskegon switched from Green Division to Red Division; Holland switched from Red Division to Green Division; Caledonia switched from Gold Division to White Division; Forest Hills Northern switched from White Division to Gold Division; Forest Hills Eastern switched from Silver Division to Blue Division; and, Belding switched from Blue Division to Silver Division. 2008 – 2009: Conference membership reached 51. The following schools were added: Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Grand Rapids Christian, Grand Rapids Central, Grand Rapids Creston, Grand Rapids Ottawa, Grand Rapids Union, and Grand Rapids West Catholic. These additions created major shuffling of schools within divisions and created the existence of a new division (Black).
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