UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- As Penn State returns to a new normal amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Nittany Lion men's tennis team is following suit and providing a home for its student-athletes.
The team, with 11 international students from all over the world, has been following socially distancing protocols. The players participate in regular coronavirus testing, temperature checks, and practice in individual pods.
In a time of uncertainty, leadership is key as the team is coming together.
Head coach Jeff Zinn states how the leadership of the upperclassmen has played a major role in developing the team culture and helping the international first-year students with their transition. It's the idea of, "playing better for the brother next to you", that drives the team.
Senior captain Alp Sentay, who is an international player from Turkey added, "As a captain, my first goal was to help the freshmen and transfer students transition into the team's culture. The older players built it when I was a freshman, and I want to keep up the tradition."
The experiences of first-year international players in 2020 greatly differ from when Sentay was a freshman.
"Everything was just so different back then; you could socialize and meet other people through your classes and sporting events. I think that is what made my experience so much better as a first-year student at Penn State, I was really exposed to the school culture".
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, social interactions between students has been limited, making it difficult to form connections with other people.
Despite the obvious challenges, the newcomers are making the most of it.
"In the beginning, I thought transitioning would be a lot harder than it was, I feel that if I didn't have the team it would be even more difficult. My teammates and coaches helped me transition and get settled into my new life," said Sam Bossem, a freshman from the United Kingdom.
Joining Penn State has provided that team atmosphere that some freshmen had yet to experience playing tennis.
Like most newcomers, Bossem came to Penn State with individual success, earning a gold medal in both the Junior male singles and doubles at the 2019 Maccabi Games. But, it was the culture of Penn State's tennis team that completely changed his outlook on the sport.
"I have always viewed tennis as a more individual kind of sport," he said. "Now I have the opportunity to be a part of the team and play for something bigger than myself."
Bora Sengul, another first-year student from Turkey with previous World Championships experience similarly relates to the ways the team has impacted him. Sengul enjoys how close he has become with his teammates and how they helped him adjust to the United States culture.
"When you play tennis you are mostly playing alone, but here at Penn State we play as a team and family."
Penn State has become a home for transfer students as well during this tough time.
Tim Ruetzel, an international transfer student from Germany who came to the program from Tulane, thought he may not be able to play in the United States again throughout the past year.
"I was home in the summer and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to come back and play at all, with the travel restrictions. In July when everything opened up again, I packed my bags overnight and flew here. I don't know if I'll go home for the holidays because if I go home there is a good chance I won't be able to come back."
Ruetzel who helped win Tulane's first American Athletic Conference championship during his time there, has been focusing in practice in hopes of making his last season the most memorable.
"When I am practicing it takes my mind off of what is going on around me and feels like everything is normal. I want to get the most I can out of my last year of tennis."
What has become "normal" is something new for many members of the squad, but the program has shown extreme resilience and leadership in this time of uncertainty in our world. They have proven that the value of family goes farther than the tennis courts.
