It’s a new era for Pella volleyball, even with a deep and experienced team returning this fall.

But as practice starts today, it does so with a new leadership structure aimed to develop young coaches and to allow veterans who have previously retired to return to the sport.

Megan Clayberg was named the new Director of Volleyball Operations at Pella High School, and Mallory Peterson — an assistant in 2019 and former head coach at Creston, will be the varsity coach this season. Clayberg says the new system allows her to be involved at the high school level, while mentoring the rest of the coaches in the Pella program and save time to keep following her kids as they now compete in college and youngest son Nolan with the Pella football team.

Megan was a coach with Central College from 1991 to 2008, and head coach until 2002, guiding the Dutch to three consecutive National Championships, and has been assisting with the Pella High School program off-and-on since she left Central.

The coaches will have a lot of players who had their first taste of varsity action last fall, including:
Middle Hitters: Ella Corbin (JR), Meridith Rowe (JR), Jasmine Namminga (SO)
Outside Hitters: Brynn Randol (SR), Roselande Vanderhoff (SR), Courtney Paxton (SR), Madison Naig (SR), Bailey Van Voorst (JR)
Defensive specialist: Macy Schulz (SR), Payton Turner (JR), Emily McMartin (JR)
Setter: Anna Vander Waal (JR)

Clayberg will be involved in several practices, but Peterson will largely lead the day-to-day operations of the program. The Lady Dutch have two weeks of practice before their first meet, when they host Ballard on Tuesday, August 25th.