The roller co
aster ride that has been the life of Wayland girls’ varsity bowling coach Bill Holbrook is on the upswing again.
The Lady Wildcats’ mentor has been selected as the Michigan High School Division 2 coach of the year in only his third season.
Holbrook Sunday afternoon posted on Facebook, “I received a phone call and found out that I was nominated and chosen as the Michigan State High School Division 2 Girl’s Coach of the Year! There is no way I could have done this with out a group of girls that work as hard as they do AND are coachable. Also, I couldn’t have done this without my friends and family that have rallied around me and supported me after Wanda died this past summer.”
A roller coaster ride it has been indeed For Holbrook, the son of 1964 Wayland High School graduates Bill and Sandy (Kotrba) Holbrook.
His wife, Wanda, 56, was k
illed last summer in an industrial accident at Ventra Ionia Main, an automotive stamping facility, when she was caught in a robotic machine.
“She was an amazing woman of God and made me a better man than I ever thought was possible,” he said of Wanda after the tragedy.
However, perhaps being Wayland girls’ coach has been some of the best therapy since.
The Lady Wildcats were ranked fifth in Division 2 polling statewide near the end of the season and they were co-champions in the O-K Green/Gold Conference. So the down side of mourning Wanda was countered by a fabulous regular season.
But then it was back down temporarily when the Lady Wildcats were fourth in the regional tournament, just missing a trip to the state tournament by one place.
Things went back up almost immediately afterward when Wayland sophomore Sydney Urben was runner-up in the individual state competition and later was named to the all-state team.
Now comes Holbrook’s honor.
But, as usual, he credits the hard work and coachability of the Lady Wildcats, insisting he “wouldn’t trade them for anything!”
Senior co-captain Lizzy Cobb answered him on Facebook Sunday by telling him. “When you’re the best coach around, there’s no doubt you deserve this! Thanks for being the best coach ever!”
PHOTO: Bill Holbrook
Coach Bill Holbrook and his Lady Wildcats ham it up after one of their tournament championships.