Holland West Ottawa Athletics Complex Recognized with National Award
December 12, 2023
Holland West Ottawa Public Schools’ new athletics complex, with architectural firm GMB, has been recognized as the top multi-field facility nationally by the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA), the national organization for builders and suppliers of materials for athletic facilities.
West Ottawa’s new stadium consists of two turf playing fields. The west field was designed deliberately without a surrounding track to bring the stands and field closer together with a central tunnel beneath the grandstands for the home team to enter onto the field. The same synthetic turf, light posts, and state-of-the-art audio/video systems are utilized on both fields for an equitable experience for all users.
Multiple ground-level entry points with access to the fields, barrier-free locker rooms and multiple seating options with elevator access also create accessibility for spectators, players, coaches, and support staff.
“This facility allows our students the opportunity to play in one of the premier complexes in the state of Michigan,” said Jeff Malloch, assistant superintendent of business services at West Ottawa Public Schools. “We have seen continued interest in lacrosse, football, and soccer, and this complex will be utilized by our community youth from elementary age to high school student-athletes.”
Adding elevated fan experiences, such as a concourse level between the upper and lower sections of the home stands, bigger bleachers, and updated concession stands and restrooms establish a venue for multiple sports and attract the entire community to utilize the facility.
“This is a one-of-a-kind facility for West Michigan, and it’s been wonderful to see student-athletes from across the state enjoy the complex’s unique amenities,” said Nate Bosch, a landscape architect with GMB. “The collaboration needed to make this project come to life was an inspiring process to be a part of, and we are so pleased to celebrate this accomplishment with West Ottawa.”
This is the first time a GMB project has been awarded a multi-field facility of the year honor by the ASBA. GMB also has received four Project of the Year honors in the outdoor tennis category and 20 distinguished awards from ASBA for other athletic facility projects over the past 12 years.
(Photos by M-Buck Studio.)
Today in the MHSAA: 2/17/25
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
February 17, 2025
1. GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING Marquette's girls claimed their fourth-straight Upper Peninsula Finals championship – MHSAA.com
2. BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING The Sentinels ran their boys Finals championship streak to six – MHSAA.com
3. BASKETBALL Detroit Renaissance swept Detroit Public School League Tournament titles, the girls defeating Mumford 55-51 and the boys defeating King 69-64 – Detroit News
4. BASKETBALL Orchard Lake St. Mary’s boys edged Detroit U-D Jesuit 58-57 to win a Catholic High School League Bishop championship, and Ann Arbor Father Gabriel Richard’s girls defeated Toledo Notre Dame Academy 48-31 to clinch a title – Detroit News
5. COMPETITIVE CHEER Top-ranked Sanford Meridian continued its undefeated season with a Division 4 District title – Midland Daily News
6. BOYS BASKETBALL Grass Lake downed Brooklyn Columbia Central in the Cascades Conference to win its first league title since 1971, and Mason clinched a three-peat in the Capital Area Activities Conference Red – WILX
7. GIRLS WRESTLING Mason’s Cecilia Williams remained undefeated in girls competition this season in winning her Regional bracket – Lansing State Journal
8. BOYS WRESTLING Roseville’s Jay’Den Williams was among Macomb County standouts advancing with Division 1 Regional titles – Macomb Daily
9. COMPETITIVE CHEER No. 10 Wyandotte Roosevelt in Division 1, No. 2 Gibraltar Carlson in Division 2 and No. 3 Grosse Ile in Division 3 were among District title winners from the Downriver area – Southgate News-Herald
10. BOYS BASKETBALL Bridgman clinched the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore title with a 66-58 win over South Haven – St. Joseph Herald-Palladium
Also of note …
BOYS BASKETBALL Riverview Gabriel Richard downed Jackson Lumen Christi 82-48 to clinch the CHSL Cardinal Tournament title – Southgate News-Herald
BOYS BASKETBALL Battle Creek St. Philip downed Athens to clinch the Southern Central Athletic Association West title, its first since 2013-14 – Battle Creek Enquirer
GIRLS BASKETBALL Traverse City Central downed West 55-39 to clinch the Big North Conference title – Traverse City Record-Eagle
BOYS BASKETBALL Kinross Maplewood Baptist won the Northern Lights League Tournament title with a 104-94 overtime victory over Hannahville Nah Tah Wahsh – Escanaba Daily Press
GIRLS BASKETBALL Big Bay de Noc defeated Beaver Island to clinch the Northern Lights League Tournament title – Escanaba Daily Press
BOWLING Boyne City’s girls claimed the Northern Michigan Bowling Conference championship – Traverse City Record-Eagle
BOYS BASKETBALL Elk Rapids clinched a share of the Northern Shores Conference title with a 53-49 win over Charlevoix – Traverse City Record-Eagle
GIRLS BOWLING Ishpeming Westwood's Olivia Letson claimed the Upper Peninsula individual championship – Upper Michigan's Source
BOYS BASKETBALL Thomas Maier reached 1,000 career points for Hillsdale Will Carleton Academy during a loss to Pittsford – Hillsdale Daily News