The majority of Forest Hills Central sports are Division 2. However, the few Division 1 sports at Forest Hills Central have proved to be a success. This raises the question: Which division is a better fit for Forest Hills Central?

Lily Ohlman: Forest Hills Central athletics are renowned around the state for being one of the most skilled, talented and hardworking programs. The vast success seen across sports and sports seasons for this school are undoubtedly very impressive, and especially in West Michigan, Forest Hills Central is viewed as a powerhouse. But for the most part, many of the sports teams here are in the Division 2 category, rather than Division 1. Prime examples of teams that fit into this realm include football, tennis, soccer, and swim & dive. Although the many athletes and teams that belong to Forest Hills Central are Division 1 worthy, the programs here have had the most success competing in Division 2.

But, being in the highest division is not always what is best. As some athletes know, the best place to perform and compete is somewhere where improvement is encouraged, and being in the highest performing group may not always provide that benefit. Sometimes, success lies in different places-in this regard, that place is Division 2 for Forest Hills Central. For the sports in Division 2 here, such as tennis, there has been immeasurable levels of success. Currently, Forest Hills Central is ranked #1 in the region for girls tennis, and that would change if the program was in Division 1. Varsity football’s immeasurable success this past season was unparalleled to almost any other season recorded before, with them making it all the way to the Division 2 state championship game at Ford Field. This historic accomplishment echoes across other sports as well. In girls soccer last season, the Rangers became Division 2 state champions. It is fair to question if these programs would have garnered the same success in Division 1. 

Over the many years of Forest Hills Central athletics, it is evident that the majority of teams find the most success and improvement competing at the Division 2 level, and they will continue to as years go on. From state champions to performing on a professional stage, those feats would have most likely been more difficult to attain in Division 1–hence Forest Hills Central finding itself competing at Division 2 more often, as there are more benefits and opportunities to be reaped there. 

Jackson Traughber: Forest Hills Central has certainly had athletic teams that have dominated in most of the sports played around the state of Michigan. Not many years go by when you do not see an FHC sports team absent  from the playoffs or even having a down year. However, Division 2 has given FHC some of these wonderful benefits, and Division 1 may not present the same ease. When you look at the pecking order for divisions in the state of Michigan, Division 1 holds some of the most dominant schools and sporting programs in the state. Such examples come from Rockford and Detroit King. This means that if Forest Hills Central would move up in major sports such as football, baseball, tennis, or even lacrosse, FHC would potentially have a very difficult time hanging with the powerhouses in the state. Although, moving up a division would provide a litany of competition that would strengthen our sporting teams and potentially make them us one of Michigan’s best. The biggest benefit for FHC would not only be the higher level of competition, but the public eye would focus more on the green and white and offer more publicity. Athletes’ talents would be seen more than they already are, and they would get that level of attention that only comes with moving up in the pecking order. Forest Hills Central is definitely good enough for this shift to unfold and willing to be next in line, but is the state ready?