The towns of Newell and Fonda, Iowa, sit quietly. Storefronts stand shuttered. Houses wait vacant.

But if you head to the local high school, you will hear something. Girls basketball! The whole community crowds into the gym to watch the Mustangs dribble and shoot. 

In general, the popularity of girls basketball has declined. In 2000, about 451,600 girls played high school basketball. By 2025, just 356,240 did. Girls play volleyball and wrestle instead. Basketball numbers are down even in the basketball-loving state of Iowa. 

But this community is different. Here, lots of girls shoot hoops. And it feels like everyone shows up for Mustangs games. Those who can’t fit into the gym still poke their heads in to check the score. Spectators dress in the team color, blue.

Dick Jungers coaches the Mustangs, a team famous across the state. “When I first started coaching girls basketball, every team you played had a good point guard, a good shooter, and a solid post player,” he says. “Now some of the teams we play are struggling to have maybe even one or two good players in the whole program.”

Iowa is a major player in girls basketball history. It held the first state basketball tournament for girls back in 1920. Professional basketball player Caitlin Clark comes from Iowa. She is one of the most famous athletes in the women’s game. 

And now Iowa has the Mustangs. In the last eight seasons, the Mustangs have played in the state final seven times. At the beginning of this season, they won games by an average of 34 points. That’s a powerhouse team!

At Newell-Fonda, kids start basketball young. This year, a second-grade team was formed. Of 21 second-grade girls, 17 signed up. It seems everyone wants to join.

Why? Sports can unite communities in lonely times as skilled athletes hone their gifts.