Even in Caitlin Clark’s home state, girls high school basketball in decline. It thrives in this town
January 28, 2026
The northwest Iowa towns of Newell and Fonda are outliers at a time participation in girls basketball is in steep decline. The Mustangs have been Class 1A state champion or runner-up seven of the last eight seasons and the team packs its gym whenever it plays. High school girls basketball participation has dropped 21% since 2000 while volleyball participation is up 29%. In Iowa, girls basketball has seen a 38% drop over that time and even the state’s largest and most successful schools are losing players.