Neuqua Valley senior safety Tommy Westrom began playing football when he was in first grade at St. Raphael in Naperville.
Westrom has loved the sport from the start. But for just as long, he has battled the perception that he’s not big enough.
“That’s one of the biggest things with me my entire life,” he said. “Size-wise, I’ve been overlooked in recruitment.
“That’s been one of my main motivations throughout the years, especially this past year. I’ve been motivated to continue to work and continue to try and help the team every way.”
The 6-foot Westrom has bulked up to 170 pounds and still doesn’t look like the players who get Division I coaches salivating. But looks can be deceiving.
“He doesn’t look like a superstar out there, but he just makes plays for us,” Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus said. “He’s tough as nails.
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“For sure, college coaches overlook all sorts of different guys because the college game is a different game. They’re going to look at the size first, and then they’re going to try to find guys like Tommy that can really fit into their schemes that are maybe overlooked by other schools.”
Westrom isn’t overlooked by Ellinghaus, who relies heavily on him to be a coach on the field, and his teammates, who voted him captain for this season.
“He’s a great leader,” Ellinghaus said. “He’s one of the guys that I think the guys really look up to.
“He’s a grinder. He’s always going to do a little bit extra. He’s one of the first guys here, one of the last guys to leave all the time.”
Westrom is driven to succeed.
“It starts with wanting to win,” he said. “Obviously, last season didn’t go too well for us. This year is going to be a lot different, and it starts in the offseason, being at our lifting every single day, trying to get everybody together as a team. That’s kind of where the leadership comes from with all of our guys.”
The Wildcats (2-7) are coming off their first losing season since 2009 and the third-worst record in program history. That was unacceptable to Westrom, who is teaming with fellow senior safety Andrew Hoffmann to help turn things around.
“When we lost the game in Week 9 against Andrew, me and him talked after the game like it’s our team, we’ve got to get this thing together, just work our heart out all offseason,” Hoffmann said. “So me and him were in the weight room every day getting after it.
“He was always in there asking everyone to get work in, and he played BOOM in the spring, which helped him tremendously get better 7-on-7-wise.”
Indeed, Westrom ran a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds over the summer and returned from his time with BOOM with an increased knowledge of the game.
“He did well for them, so he’s used to covering elite players,” Ellinghaus said. “He’s probably one of the guys that any coach can go to and ask anything at any time, and he’s a real student of the game.
“He knows what happened two plays prior. He’s very astute.”
Westrom continues to pick things up.
“I kind of learned this offseason with BOOM how to bring momentum to a team and go make a tackle in the backfield,” he said. “I feel I’m more of an explosive player.
“My strength comes from my speed and just being able to go make plays.”
The Wildcats, who will open the season at Waubonsie Valley on Aug. 29, need Westrom to make a lot of plays. Hoffmann expects him to make plenty.
“It just starts with the mental stuff,” Hoffmann said. “He knows the whole playbook. He’s an extremely good leader, and as a human being, he’s a great person, and he’s one of my best friends.
“I couldn’t have anyone else that I would want to play beside back there.”
Both Westrom and Hoffmann have an offer from Wisconsin-Eau Claire, so they could play together in college too. But Westrom, who is also talking to Drake, Northern Iowa and Wisconsin-Platteville, is hoping to take his leadership talents to a higher level.
“He doesn’t look like a Division I football player,” Ellinghaus said, “and yet I think he can play at a small Division I school.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.
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