Head girls’ soccer coach at Pella Christian High, Bill Collman, is used to playing against bigger schools, seeing as how his team is one of the smallest in the state that fields a soccer team. The Eagles have grown accustomed to playing Norwalk and Indianola, two very tough schools with great soccer programs, in their very first contests of the season. Collman said that it’s a very noticeable change on their schedule.
“The biggest thing that stands out in our schedule, and our girls noticed it right away, too; this might be the first time in six years we don’t open up with Indianola and Norwalk, two very strong teams,” Collman said. “That always put us behind the eight ball right away; two strong teams beginning of the season and you’re not gelling yet. The beginning of our schedule is not as tough as Indianola and Norwalk right away.”
Pella Christian will still play Norwalk in late April. Marshalltown and North Polk have taken their place as the first two games on the Eagles’ girls’ schedule, and Collman said that they, too, are very good and should be more competitive games for his team to start the season. Marshalltown marks the beginning of the regular season for the Eagles on April 2.