Members of the Pella High football team have a week of practice under their belts now, but for many of the athletes, this week wasn’t at all about starting on the ground floor. Little Dutch head coach Jay McKinstrey says the summer weightlifting program at Pella High was a productive one, thanks to guidance from a former Central College football player.

“We had a really good summer this summer. Coach Preston West – who works for Sterling Physical Therapy, providing our strength and conditioning – has done a tremendous job working with our kids,” said McKinstrey. “He’s provided them – if they wanted to – to get a lot better, and come in in good shape – faster, stronger, more mentally tough [and] more confident – and the kids that chose to get involved in that are certainly going to reap the benefits this fall.”

West graduated this past spring from Central College, and McKinstrey says he’s been very pleased to have him helping Pella High prepare for this season. The Little Dutch open the 2012 football schedule in just under two weeks at Marshalltown.