West High School (Waterloo, Iowa)

Waterloo West High School is one of three public high schools under the auspices of the Waterloo Community School District in Waterloo, Iowa. The school is located at the intersection of E. Ridgeway Ave. and Baltimore Ave.

Waterloo West High School
Address
425 East Ridgeway Avenue Waterloo , Iowa 50702 United States
Coordinates	42°28′12″N 92°21′04″W
Information
Type	Public High School
Established	1922
School district	Waterloo Community School District
Principal	Andy Miehe
Staff	96.50 (FTE)[1]
Grades	9–12
Number of students	1,652 (2022-23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	17.12[1]
Color(s)	Old Rose and black
Nickname	Wahawks
Affiliation	Mississippi Valley Conference
Website	www.waterlooschools.org/schoolsites/westhigh/

Mascot

The school mascot is Westy the Wahawk. The name "Wahawk" is a portmanteau of the city name (Waterloo) and the county name (Black Hawk). Much controversy has surrounded the mascot, which was once an Indian chief thought to be politically incorrect. It was later changed to a flying eagle flying through a flaming hoop but was changed back after 3 years.

The logo is currently the "Flying W," a capital "W" with a feather hanging off of it. More recently an arrow has been added behind the "Flying W". This is also the only school in the United States with "Old Rose" as its school color.

Demographics

In the 2015–2016 school year, West High had an enrollment of 1,638 students. The racial makeup of the school during the 2015–2016 school year was 60% White, 18.5% African-American, 10% Hispanic, 4.6% Multiracial, 4.5% Asian and 2.4% from other races.

Athletics

The Wahawks compete in the Mississippi Valley Conference in the following sports:^[2]

• Cross Country
• Volleyball
• Football
• Basketball
  • Boys' 1925 Class A State Champions^[3]
• Wrestling
  • 17-time State Champions (1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1959, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1977, 1989)^[4]
• Swimming
• Track and Field
  • Boys' 1981 Class AA State Champions^[5]
• Golf
  • Boys' 10-time State Champions (1950, 1951, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1998)^[6]
  • Girls' 4-time State Champions (1956, 1957, 1981, 1993)^[7]
  • Coed 5-time State Champions (1972, 1973, 1980, 1981, 1985)^[7]
• Soccer
• Softball
• Baseball
  • 1991 Class 4A State Champions^[8]
• Tennis
  • Boys' 1991 Class 2A State Champions^[9]
• Bowling
  • Girls' 2013 Class 2A State Champions^[7]
  • Boys' 2-time Class 3A State Champions (2020, 2023)^[10]

Notable alumni

• Bob Bowlsby, Big 12 Conference commissioner (2012–current),^[11] athletic director at Stanford University (2006–2012)^[12] University of Iowa (1990–2006).^[13]
• Dan Gable, 1972 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling at 1972 Summer Olympics, former head wrestling coach at University of Iowa.^[14]
• Molly Goodenbour, women's basketball coach, University of San Francisco
• Nikole Hannah-Jones, journalist
• Don Perkins, former professional football player, Pro Bowl running back for Dallas Cowboys^[15]
• Cal Petersen, American professional ice hockey player
• Jack Rule, Jr., former professional golfer who played on PGA Tour in 1960s^[16]
• Mike van Arsdale, retired mixed martial artist; current MMA coach^[17]
• Emily West, country music singer-songwriter, signed with Capitol Records; America's Got Talent (season 9) runner up^[18]

See also

• List of high schools in Iowa

References

1. "West High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
2. "Mississippi Valley Conference". Mississippi Valley Conference. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
3. "2020 State Tournament Stat Book Basketball" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
4. "2020 Wrestling Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
5. "2020 IHSAA Track & Field Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
6. "2019-2020 Golf Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
7. "Waterloo West". Iowa High School Sports. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
8. "2020 IHSAA Baseball State Tournament Stat Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
9. "2020 IHSAA Tennis State Book" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 10 June 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
10. "2023 Record Book Bowling" (PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association. 18 August 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
11. "Bob Bowlsby - Big 12 Conference Commissioner". big12sports.com. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
12. "Iowa AD Bowlsby hired to do same job at Stanford". ESPN. 25 April 2006. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
13. Bowlsby face of NCAA committee, Lawrence Journal-World, 12 March 2004, retrieved 10 August 2011
14. Andrew Wind (31 October 2007), West High officially opens its athletic addition in grand style, Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier, retrieved 10 August 2011
15. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 December 2008. Retrieved 30 May 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
16. "Jack Rule page". Retrieved 5 May 2020.
17. "Mike van Arsdale". Retrieved 1 January 2014.
18. "Artists : Emily West : Emily West Biography : Great American Country". Retrieved 5 May 2020.

External links

• Waterloo West High School website