Dydell to play Central College soccer

Being named one of the senior team captains, Kaleb Dydell was ready to lead Newton High’s Cardinal boys to success on the soccer pitch this spring. He couldn’t wait to play his final high school season of his favorite sport.

Dydell and the Cardinals were denied that opportunity because of the coronavirus health crisis of 2020.

“When I got the news that I wasn’t going to get to play soccer this spring, it hit hard. I don’t think I did much for that first week,” Dydell said. “Then I tried to keep busy and focus on what will be.”

What will be for Dydell is an opportunity to play the sport he loves the most — soccer — at the collegiate level. Dydell has signed a national letter of intent to play for Central College in Pella next year.

The Dutch are the 2019 American Rivers Conference champions after going 6-1-1 in conference play under head coach Garry Laidlaw, who has been the head coach at Central since 1998. Central finished 14-4-2 last fall, losing in the opening round of the NCAA Division III championship tournament.

“I was looking for a college which fit my academic needs and where I could play sports. It came down to Central and Simpson,” Dydell said. “I really liked the Central campus more and I was familiar with the Central soccer program.”

Newton High head coach Zach Jensen serves as a Central College assistant coach in the fall and he is a former Central soccer player. Dydell said it’s going to be great with Jensen on the Dutch staff to help walk him through the steps.

“I’ll be a freshman playing college soccer, which is going to be different than high school soccer. Coach Jensen is very familiar to both high school and college soccer and I believe it will help me settle in there,” Dydell said.

Dydell has been playing soccer since he could walk, he said, and he worked right up the line from YMCA soccer to NASA and to the high school team. He is a four-year player and a three-year letterman for the Cardinals.

Dydell found his spot as a defender for the Cardinals. He helped Newton teams go 36-22 the past three seasons. The Cardinals were 10-9 in 2019, ranked No. 15 and lost in the Class 2A substate semifinals.

In 2018, the Cardinals posted a 14-6 record and earned the school’s first state tournament appearance in 22 years by winning a 2A substate title. Dydell played on the No.8-ranked team which lost 5-4 to Marion in the first round of the state tournament.

“I like playing defender. My junior season I was given the responsibility of directing action on the field and telling our players where to move on the field. I liked being in a leadership role,” Dydell said. “I’m willing to step up and help a teammate if a mistake is made on a play. It’s about the team for me.”

Dydell said he expects to play in a defensive role for Central next year.

“If they want me to play some place else on the field, I’m not going to hesitate in giving it a try. I’ll do whatever my team needs me to do,” Dydell said.

Dydell enjoys the game of soccer for the pace of it. He said soccer is too slow of a sport for some people but when the game is placed right it is fun for Dydell to watch. Dydell said for him to be on the field and experience it himself is even better.

“After our season was canceled, I went to the field to take shots at the net and get touches on the ball,” he said. “I worked on my foot work and I have been running and lifting.”

Dydell played football earning Class 3A all-district honors his senior season for Newton. He also played basketball for the Cardinals.

Dydell will major in pre-physical therapy at Central and finish his schooling for that at another college yet to be determined, he said. He is at the son of Chris and Jackie Dydell.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com