As teens, it is natural to be critical of the world, especially of authority figures, including our school’s administration. However, this basketball postseason West Ottawa’s administration put in much thought and effort to make sure their students had an unforgettable experience.
The support from our administrators began leading up to the quarterfinal matchup against East Lansing in Lansing. The first thing that administration did for the students was arranging three spirit busses. “My parents said that only if a parent was driving us up there would I be allowed to go all the way out there without a spirit bus,” Sr. Audrey Pohl said. More than a handful of students would not have had the experience in Lansing if our administrators had not gone the extra mile in providing three separate spirit busses. The administration not only spent the energy to arrange the busses (which includes finding drivers available to make the drive), but they made sure the buses were free. Students only had to pay for their game ticket; the school picked up the tab for transportation.
The administration continued to be generous after the quarterfinal win.
On Thursday, March 22, at 6:45 AM, West Ottawa students lined the athletic hallway at the North building hopeful of getting their hands on a lower bowl student section ticket, making them not only closer to the court but among the Black Hole, West Ottawa’s acclaimed student section. This was all made possible by our administrators. Staff such as Athletic Director Pat Marsman, Assistant Principal Bre Bartels, and Head Principal Todd Tulgestke were assisting the enormous line that formed in the athletic hallway.
After all 1,200 tickets had been sold out in under two hours, our administrators made the decision to have six spirit buses transport students to the game. Bringing six spirit buses was a large expense that our school administrators were willing to make, and the busses added even more excitement for students during this historic postseason.
In order for students to attend the game, administrators had to make the decision to release students after a half day of school.
When Friday morning classes were finished and the first load of spirit buses was parked in the North parking lot, students piled in trying to get a choice seat. Whether the students had eaten a breakfast that morning or not, the West Ottawa administrators were one step ahead. As students waited anxiously to enter the bus, administrators began distributing a packed lunch and box of water to every student. “The lunches definitely were not necessary, we would have eaten or something; I mean it was a half day so definitely that was just the kindness in their hearts doing that,” Frosh. Emilio Ruiz said. Obviously, WO’s administrators were thinking about the students throughout this entire postseason.
On Friday night at 6:00 P.M. fresh off of the buses, students are piling into the familiar athletic hall in the North building desperate to get their hands on Saturday’s tickets. After about one hour of ticket sales, WO was sold out; again. Finally, Saturday morning rolled around, championship day and everybody was dying to get on one of the five spirit busses West Ottawa’s administrators had graciously arranged.
WO and the administrators have done incredible things for the students here this basketball postseason. So sincerely from all West Ottawa students to our administrators, thank you.