Steven V.

Penn State newspaper (Testimonial)

Van Der Westhuyzen ready to make impact for Penn State men's tennis Kristin Dougherty Sep 13, 1999 (0) When he was 8 years old, Steven Van Der Westhuyzen held a tennis racket for the first time on a tennis court somewhere in Cape Town, South Africa. As he took his first swing, envisioning the many swings he had seen his father take, Van Der Westhuyzen made contact by not only launching the ball over the net, but also launching himself into the tennis world. Van Der Westhuyzen entered this world with the basic skills learned from his father, along with the dedication, motivation and determination that might spell success in his tennis career at Penn State. His official tennis career began at the age of 11, in which he competed in the under-12 division in South Africa's national tournament. Prior to that, Van Der Westhuyzen only had played with his father. I remember as a kid following my dad around and watching him play," he said. As he grew older, his career prospered, as he was ranked No. 13 nationally in the under-16 boys division and No. 8 in doubles. He also represented the Western Province of South Africa in the National High School Tournament. Van Der Westhuyzen moved to Lexington, Ky., in December 1995 — his sophomore year of high school. There, he met his new coach, Duane Lundy, and began to play on the Henry Clay High School team. Van Der Westhuyzen was ranked No. 1 in both singles and doubles on the Henry Clay High School team and received all-state honors all three years. Lundy attributes much of Van Der Westhuyzen's success to intelligence. He is a very mature, very intelligent player, quite a bit wiser than the other players he played against," Lundy said. "His headiness is responsible for much of his success. Van Der Westhuzyen's love for the game caused him to attempt to further his tennis career to the collegiate level. He wrote several college coaches, including Ken Alrutz, the former coach for the Miami (Ohio) men's tennis team. After the coaches received the letters and saw him play, it didn't take long to figure out that he was a great player," Lundy said. Van der Westhuyzen soon became a member of the Miami of Ohio men's team. Steven is a tremendous player," Alrutz said. "He knocked my eyes out when I saw him play. As a freshman, Van Der Westhuyzen started the season ranked No. 6. His hard work carried him to the No. 1 ranking in singles and doubles midway through the season. Steven is a very hard worker on the court, in the weightroom and in the classroom," said Alrutz. "He is determined and competitive and never gives up. Van Der Westhuyzen went 5-2 at the No. 1 ranking and registered the league's only win against the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Player of the Year — Mohammed Daki. Van Der Westhuyzen also was named first-team All-MAC, a rare accomplishment for a freshman. Although the team had a successful season (18-9, 8-2 MAC), the tennis program was cut this season due inadequate funding. Van Der Westhuyzen looked to continue his career at several schools: Ohio State, Iowa, Nebraska and Penn State. After talking with Penn State men's tennis coach Jan Bortner, Van Der Westhuyzen made his decision. He would play at Penn State. I wanted to play in the Big Ten, and Penn State had a good academic and athletic reputation," Van Der Westhuyzen said. Bortner had been trying to recruit Van Der Westhuyzen's roommate and doubles partner, Scott Rutherford, when he found out about the Miami (Ohio) star. Bortner is not saying too much before team practice begins, but is looking for Van Der Westhuyzen to contribute to the team. He is a talented player, and I hope he comes in and helps the team," Bortner said. After about three weeks of preseason practice, things are looking positive for Van Der Westhuyzen. I think my chances of playing are good, but it is always competitive when everyone wants to play," Van Der Westhuyzen said. The Lions are positive about the new addition of Van Der Westhuyzen to the team. I praise Steven to the skies," Alrutz said. "He will be a wonderful addition to the campus and to the team. Official team practice will begin today, and the first match will be at home on Sept. 18 for the Nittany Lions.