Derek Van Rheenen
Encyclopedia
Derek Van Rheenen is a retired U.S. soccer defender
who played his entire career with three San Francisco based clubs.
in Woodside, California
, part of the San Francisco Bay Area
. In 1980, he scored one of his team’s four goals in Woodside’s Central Coast Section championship. After graduating from high school, Van Rheenen attended University of California, Berkeley
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1983 to 1986. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in political economy
and German.
final only to lose to the St. Louis Busch Seniors.
of the American Professional Soccer League
(APSL) where he became known as an enforcer. That season the Blackhawks went to the title match, only to fall to the Maryland Bays
in penalty kicks. The next year the Blackhawks took the league title, defeating the Albany Capitals
. Van Rheenen earned individual honors as a first team All Star. In 1993, the team saw a drop off in its league performance as it concentrated on making a run through the CONCACAF Champions Cup in which it went to the semifinals only to fall to the Hugo Sánchez
-led Club América
, 4-3 on aggregate. At the end of the 1992 season, the Blackhawks owner pulled the team from the APSL and relocated it to the lower division U.S. Interregional Soccer League (USISL). He also renamed the team the San Jose Hawks. Even under the new name, the Hawks continued to dominate, taking first place in the Pacific Division and winning a spot in the Sizzling Six championship. Despite winning both of its games, the team found itself shut out of the title game based on goal differential. However, Van Rheenen was named a first team All Star again. Despite its success, the Hawks folded at the end of the season. Van Rheenen was team captain during his four seasons with the Blackhawks/Hawks.
final, this time taking the title with a win over Milwaukee Bavarian Leinenkugel. The Greek-Americans were the last amateur club to win the Open Cup. While the professional teams have dominated the Open Cup since 1995, Van Rheenen and the Greek-Americans continued to experience national success, winning the 1996 and 1998 Over-30 national championship and the 2004 Over 40 national championship.
also played on the team.
Van Rheenen continues to play for the Over-40 club Real Marin Spurs of the Marin Soccer League.
in Interdisciplinary Studies in 1997. He is currently a professor at Berkeley and is the academic adviser to the school's athletic teams.
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
who played his entire career with three San Francisco based clubs.
Youth and college
While born in Nigeria, Van Rheenen grew up in California where he attended Woodside High SchoolWoodside High School (Woodside, California)
Woodside High School is an American public high school located in Woodside on the border with Redwood City, California. It is part of the Sequoia Union High School District. It has scored a perfect ten in California's similar-school rankings in 2009 and 2010....
in Woodside, California
Woodside, California
Woodside is a small incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, on the San Francisco Peninsula. It uses a council-manager system of government. The U.S. Census estimated the population of the town to be 5,287 in 2010....
, part of the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
. In 1980, he scored one of his team’s four goals in Woodside’s Central Coast Section championship. After graduating from high school, Van Rheenen attended University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
where he played on the men’s soccer team from 1983 to 1986. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in political economy
Political economy
Political economy originally was the term for studying production, buying, and selling, and their relations with law, custom, and government, as well as with the distribution of national income and wealth, including through the budget process. Political economy originated in moral philosophy...
and German.
San Francisco Greek-Americans
In 1986, Van Rheenen joined the powerhouse amateur club, San Francisco Greek-Americans. In 1988, the team went to the U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
final only to lose to the St. Louis Busch Seniors.
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks
In 1990, Van Rheenen he signed with the San Francisco Bay BlackhawksSan Francisco Bay Blackhawks
San Francisco Bay Blackhawks was a professional soccer team which came into existence in 1989 as a team in the Western Soccer League . The Blackhawks spent time in the American Professional Soccer League and the United States Interregional Soccer League...
of the American Professional Soccer League
American Professional Soccer League
The American Professional Soccer League is a former professional men's soccer league which featured teams from both the United States and Canada. It was the first outdoor soccer league to feature teams from throughout the United States since the demise of the original North American Soccer League...
(APSL) where he became known as an enforcer. That season the Blackhawks went to the title match, only to fall to the Maryland Bays
Maryland Bays
The Maryland Bays were an inaugural franchise of the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1988.They were based in Catonsville, Maryland, and played their games at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. The team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL...
in penalty kicks. The next year the Blackhawks took the league title, defeating the Albany Capitals
Albany Capitals
The Albany Capitals joined the third incarnation of the American Soccer League in 1989. The team joined the American Professional Soccer League in 1990 when the ASL merged with the Western Soccer League...
. Van Rheenen earned individual honors as a first team All Star. In 1993, the team saw a drop off in its league performance as it concentrated on making a run through the CONCACAF Champions Cup in which it went to the semifinals only to fall to the Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez
Hugo Sánchez Márquez , popularly nicknamed Pentapichichi, or Hugol, is a Mexican football coach and former striker. He played for four European clubs, including Real Madrid. Sanchez is considered the first highly talented Mexican player. He was also a member of the Mexico national team, and...
-led Club América
Club América
Club América is a Mexican Professional football club based in Mexico City. It competes in the Primera División, the top professional league in the country. The team's nickname is Las Águilas ....
, 4-3 on aggregate. At the end of the 1992 season, the Blackhawks owner pulled the team from the APSL and relocated it to the lower division U.S. Interregional Soccer League (USISL). He also renamed the team the San Jose Hawks. Even under the new name, the Hawks continued to dominate, taking first place in the Pacific Division and winning a spot in the Sizzling Six championship. Despite winning both of its games, the team found itself shut out of the title game based on goal differential. However, Van Rheenen was named a first team All Star again. Despite its success, the Hawks folded at the end of the season. Van Rheenen was team captain during his four seasons with the Blackhawks/Hawks.
San Francisco Greek-Americans
Following the demise of the Hawks, Van Rheenen rejoined the Greek-Americans and spent five years with the club. In 1994, the Greek-Americans went to the U.S. Open CupLamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
final, this time taking the title with a win over Milwaukee Bavarian Leinenkugel. The Greek-Americans were the last amateur club to win the Open Cup. While the professional teams have dominated the Open Cup since 1995, Van Rheenen and the Greek-Americans continued to experience national success, winning the 1996 and 1998 Over-30 national championship and the 2004 Over 40 national championship.
Other clubs
In 2000, Van Rheenen was a member, and the leading scorer, for the Olympic Club in the San Francisco Soccer Football League’s Major Division. Fellow Berkeley graduate, and Blackhawks team mate, Peter WoodringPeter Woodring
Peter Woodring is a retired U.S. soccer forward. He spent most of his career in the lower U.S. and German divisions. However, he did spend one season in Major League Soccer with the New England Revolution. He also earned three caps with the U.S...
also played on the team.
Van Rheenen continues to play for the Over-40 club Real Marin Spurs of the Marin Soccer League.
University career
After leaving professional soccer, Van Rheenen returned to Berkeley where he attained a Master’s degree in education in 1993 and a DoctorateDoctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
in Interdisciplinary Studies in 1997. He is currently a professor at Berkeley and is the academic adviser to the school's athletic teams.