The Pella Christian volleyball team enters the 2012 season under second-year head coach Cindy Nikkel and with what will be a greatly revamped varsity line-up. The Lady Eagles were a very senior-dominated unit a year ago, and the coaching staff is working with a number of players in new roles.

Pella Christian was one of the many programs that took part in last week’s team camp at Central College and Nikkel said she hopes her squad can start transferring some of their strengths into success in other areas of their game.

“I think the biggest thing I hope we do is get a little stronger. I feel like we’re going to be a defensive team. We’ve lifted in the offseason, so I think it’s going to help our offense; but I think our strength is definitely in defense and ball control,” said Nikkel. “I hope we can refine that a little bit, and then we can take that defense and transition into learning a new offense.”

With three capable setters, Nikkel says the team will likely run a 6-2 offense this season – adding that the team is spending this week in practice familiarizing themselves more with their offensive schemes. The Lady Eagles open the schedule on August 23rd, when they host Johnston.