Junior Sam Vanderveen competes on both the varsity swim and golf teams for Westside High School. A dedicated athlete, Vanderveen has been a dual-sport competitor since his freshman year.
Vanderveen has Down syndrome, but it hasn’t stopped him from competing in high school athletics. He has been active in both sports since elementary school, golfing on his own and competing for Swim Omaha, a local club.
“I started golfing in second grade,” Vanderveen said.
At his swim club, he enjoys putting in hard work and focusing on improvement. “I just like practice and getting there on time. Get some swimming time in,” Vanderveen said.
When Vanderveen arrived at Westside, he met head golf coach Jered Hellman, who has helped Sam in his golfing career. Hellman has watched Sam grow both on and off the green.
“A key focus is Sam’s continued growth in independence. On the golf course, he’s responsible for making all of his own decisions—a challenging task for any golfer,” Hellman said. “Not just those with Down syndrome. Over the last two seasons, Sam has shown tremendous growth in this area, and we’re excited to see him build on that progress this year.”
As the spring season rapidly approaches, Hellman has big goals for Vanderveen’s upcoming campaign.
“Despite having Down syndrome, Vanderveen is still able to compete with other athletes from other schools. One of his personal goals has been to beat players from other schools who don’t have Down syndrome,” Hellman said. “He takes immense pride in achieving this. His teammates and coaches take pride in it, too. This will remain a goal for Sam this season.”
Now in his third year on the team, Vanderveen has made a significant impact. He has thrived alongside his teammates and brings high energy to every practice.
“Sam is incredibly loving and thrives on the relationships he has with his coaches and teammates,” Hellman said. “He’s also very funny, and we can always count on him to bring energy, joy, and excitement to practice.”
Vanderveen enjoys playing for Hellman and takes pride in being a Warrior. “Coach Hellman is a good coach. I made the JV team when I was a freshman,” Vanderveen said.
After the golf team won back-to-back state championships, the team chose him to hold the state title trophy at a school pep rally.
“I got to hold a trophy before school at the pep rally,” Vanderveen said. “It’s fun and exciting.”
Hellman believes Vanderveen represents the core of the program, noting that the team’s consecutive titles are tied to his presence.
“We’ve won back-to-back state titles, and each time, a pep rally was held to celebrate. Before both events, the boys decided who would carry the state trophy. Both times, there was no debate—Sam was unanimously chosen to represent our team,” Hellman said. “Sam embodies everything Westside golf stands for. Without his countless contributions to his teammates and coaches, I’m confident we wouldn’t have achieved the same level of success.”
For the upcoming season, Vanderveen is focused on his short game. “Try and practice my swings and putting is important,” Vanderveen said. “For me, like 10 putts or seven putts—that’s not good. I can improve my putting by little things like three and two and four and six; those are good for me that I can improve on.”
Vanderveen is equally talented in the pool. Head coach Andy Rider recognizes the hard work Vanderveen contributes to the swim team.
“Sam is a great member of our swim team. He trains hard and wants to be successful,” Rider said.
His expertise lies in the butterfly, and his presence on the pool deck is felt by everyone in attendance.
“Sam is very talented in the butterfly and has swum it several times for us this season, along with swimming freestyle,” Rider said. “Sam brings a lot of energy to the pool deck, always cheering on his fellow swimmers and congratulating them after their races.”
Fellow swimmer and junior Will Cartwright admires that passion. “I love his spirit for the 100 fly; he loves it to death,” Cartwright said.
Vanderveen has set his sights high for the postseason. After placing second at state last year, he wants to win the unified race this time around.
“My goal this year is to win state and Metro. Just work really hard at swimming. Get out practice, morning time and swim fast,” Vanderveen said. “That’s all it can take right now.”
Rider noted that Sam is also chasing a specific time: “Sam really wants to improve his 50 freestyle this year. He has been working hard to try and break the 30-second mark.”
With a new pool facility opening in the fall of 2025, Vanderveen is looking forward to the upgraded environment. “We will have our new weight room and stuff. We have medicine balls and stuff in the Life Complex, and there’s trainers in there, too,” he said.
Beyond the competition, his favorite memories involve team dinners and bonding with teammates like captain Aidan Jackson.
“The leader for the swim team, Aidan Jackson—he’s a captain. This year, he gets boys together and we chant together. We’re a family with a swim team,” Vanderveen said.
As he prepares for the state swim meet next month and the golf season this spring, Vanderveen continues to strive for excellence while inspiring the Westside community.
