A new era of Pella girls basketball is underway with Head Coach Blaine Forsythe taking the helm of a program seeking more consistency in the win column in 2021-22.

Forsythe has been an assistant for the Pella football and boys basketball teams, and has been on staff for three state championships since he rejoined the district as a teacher in 2015. He’s hoping to bring more of that winning tradition to a girls basketball team that’s been on the cusp of success but ultimately inconsistent in finding victories over the past several seasons since last qualifying for state in 2017.

In order to get there, Forsythe intends to have this year’s Pella girls basketball team push the pace on most nights and try to use their defensive depth to frustrate teams and create scoring chances.

“We’ve looked at a couple of presses and defenses just to give teams a different look and I feel like we have a group of girls who are athletic across the board, and we’re just putting them out there where they can run and jump at times, play a 1-3-1 or man, and just play physical, fast defense,” he says.

Pella will be led by three returning seniors on the court — Point Guard Anna Vander Waal, Guard/Forward Reagan Van Wyk, and Shooting Guard Anna Childerston.

Hear Pella Dutch basketball all winter long on 92.1 KRLS, kniakrls.com, and the Pella Dutch Live YouTube channel.