The new head coach of the Ankeny girls’ basketball team is very familiar with the Hawkettes’ program.
Nate Tobey has been hired to replace Dru McAnelly. He spent the last seven seasons as an assistant for the Ankeny boys’ team.
“I don’t see any reason why we can’t compete at the highest level in the CIML,” said Tobey. “I’m just looking forward to continuing what coach Mac was doing. He’s a great friend of mine, and he left the program in really good shape talent-wise and with many of the things they already have in place. I think the program’s in great shape. I’m just looking forward to taking the next step.”
Tobey previously served as the head girls’ coach at Ogden for two seasons. He guided the team to 15 wins in his second year.
“It was a building process there,” Tobey said. “But I feel very proud of the work that we did there–that was the most wins they’d had in a while. It was a lot of fun and a great learning experience.”
Tobey joined the staff of Ankeny boys’ coach Brandt Carlson in 2016. He helped the Hawks to the Class 4A state title in 2020.
“I decided to work with coach Carlson for a lot of reasons, and I’m very glad that I did,” Tobey said. “We’ve been pretty flexible with (our style of play) over the years depending on the personnel we had. I’d really like the girls to play as fast as we can offensively while still being able to run our system, and defensively I want to apply pressure in multiple forms of defense and try to be fundamentally sound in both areas. I really just want us to play hard and play as a team.”
The Hawkettes posted a 12-11 record last season. They advanced to a Class 5A regional final before losing at Davenport North, 65-61.
Three starters will be back from that team in guards Savannah Gage, Karsen Jacks and Jayla Williams. Gage was a part of the committee that interviewed the coaching candidates.
“I think coach Tobey is going to do a great job!” Gage said.
Gage was a first-team all-state pick as a sophomore after averaging 16.6 points per game. However, she tore the ACL in her left knee on April 1 while playing in an AAU game.
Gage underwent surgery on April 10.
“My recovery timeline should allow for a full return in time for the high school season, but obviously that will be determined later in the fall based on my healing and progress,” said Gage, who has already received a handful of scholarship offers from Division I schools. “But I’ve been doing my rehab, and I’m determined to come back better and stronger!”
Tobey said he thinks it will be an easy adjustment for him to start coaching girls again.
“I know there are some differences, but really basketball is basketball,” he said. “You adjust for the personnel you have no matter what, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the girls on the team a little bit more. It’s nice that I already know quite a few of them from my work at Parkview and being on the boys’ side for the last seven years.
“I just feel very fortunate to be put in charge of a program with a lot of great tradition. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do,” he added.
