It would be an understatement to suggest this year has been bittersweet for Wayland High School girls’ varsity bowling coach Bill Holbrook.
It is the bitterest of bitter when recalling the sudden, tragic and terrible death last summer of his wife, Wanda, 56, in an industrial accident. She was killed at Ventra Ionia Main, an automotive stamping facility, when she was caught in a robotic machine.
Holbrook, in a Facebook posting the next day, said, “My dear friends and family, yesterday my wife was killed in an industrial accident. I’m sorry that this is the way to let you know but I wanted to be sure everyone knew. She was an amazing woman of God and made me a better man than I ever thought was possible.”
Holbrook and his family in Kentwood obviously went through a period of mourning, but being a Wayland girls’ coach has been perhaps some of the best therapy that could be applied.
The Lady Wildcats in the previous season showed a lot of promise on the lanes, just missing a trip to the state finals by finishing fourth in the Division 2 regionals. And freshman standout Sydney Urben qualified for the state tournament and finished 22nd.
The team, featuring a lot of underclasswomen, didn’t hesitate to pick up where they left off in the winter of 2015. The Lady Wildcats reeled off a flurry of dual match victories, ending the year undefeated, finished second in one tournament and claimed the championship in the Cedar Springs Invitational, setting a whole lot of school records along the way.
Holbrook acknowledged during that Saturday earlier this month, “This made me cry today. Not because I was so excited to see my girls perform so well (which they did), but because when I stepped out of the bowling alley today I grabbed my phone and wanted to call Wanda Holbrook and tell here how proud I was of them and how happy I was for them… Still very happy though!”
Holbrook had connections to Wayland before he agreed to take on his coaching gig. His parents both are Wayland High School graduates, he has relatives who live in the Gun Lake area.
He and his colleague, boys’ coach Sherry Miklusicak, are looking forward to the rest of the season ahead. Miklusicak, when asked about how things have been going in her first season, replied that the two teams have been getting along well, almost like family.
So Bill Holbrook likely looks back with great sadness over the tragedy in his family, but continues to look forward to his journey ahead with girls whom he said, “ Wouldn’t trade them for anything!”
PHOTO: The Wayland girls’ bowling team cuts up after winning the Cedar Spring Invitational. Included here are Coach Bill Holbrook, Devin Bartell, Tiara Vincent, Jasmine Greene, Erin Porteous, Marissa Bruinsslot, Kayla Renee, Jessica Henderson, Oliver Holbrook, Aubree Hodges, Lizzy Cobb, Amber Beggs, Alicia Sweeney, Sydney Urben and Jessica Miling. Oliver Holbrook is the one who is obscured by his father’s outstretched arms. (Photo supplied)
Bill Holbrook