Player Profile: Henning Kuich – A Journey from Germany

By Cody Dalton

The journey for junior Henning Kuich has been extremely long, spanning from Germany all the way to the United States.

A native of Hamburg, Kuich has had an amazing passage to reach the campus of UVa-Wise. It all started when Kuich decided to come to the United States, as a transfer student.

“I just wanted to come over to the United States for a new experience,” Kuich said. “I wanted to learn to the speaking part of the English language. My sister had also gone over as an exchange student before me and I decided at that time already that one day I would do the same.”

Henning was placed with an exchange family and immediately enrolled at Gate City High School. As a member of the high school’s tennis team, Kuich won state championships in both singles and doubles competition.

“I didn’t realize how important state titles are here in the U.S.,” Kuich said. “I had won state championships before in Germany, but I certainly did not get a ring for it.”

Coincidentally, Henning would meet his future tennis coach, Danny Rowland, while hitting some balls on the tennis courts at Wise.

“When I first met him, he seemed to be very quiet,” Rowland said. “He had only been in the U.S. for about a month and they wanted me to hit with him at the college.”

Later that summer, Henning would sign on to play tennis and attend UVa-Wise, with the help of Rowland. However, he would have to make some changes to his tennis game though.

“Henning had been used to playing on clay courts,” said Rowland. “The hard courts were an adjustment for him.”

Since coming to Wise, Kuich has further developed his tennis game and has become a leader on the men’s team. He led the team in victories last year and is currently 4-0 in singles competition, with a 2-2 mark in doubles.

“I give my best on the court whenever I play,” Kuich said. “I try to use the practice time as much as I can to prepare. I think that my variety of shots and my love for mixing all these different spins and speeds together are my greatest strengths.”

“Henning is someone we have to depend on at the top of the lineup,” said Rowland. “He is a competitor and is always looking for ways for the team to excel.”

Not only is Kuich knowledgeable about tennis, but he uses that same competitive attitude in the classroom. Kuich has made the Dean’s List every semester since enrolling at the college in 2004. He was also inducted into the Darden Society, for his high academic performance in the classroom.

“He is an excellent student with a double major,” Rowland said. “He is also a great thinker and very smart.”

“I think it is great to be recognized in such a way,” Kuich said. “It is great that there are societies to give students some sort of reward for their studies.”

To give himself some time away from the tennis court and studying, Kuich decided to pledge the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity on campus. He has been a member of the fraternity for one year this semester.

“Although it takes even more time out of my busy schedule,” Kuich said. “The benefits of great friends and an opportunity for community service and helping people in a way that would not be possible as a single person are priceless to me.”

As far as after college goes, Kuich is planning to pursuer further education to help plan for a career in the medical field.

“I want to try to do cancer research,” Kuich said. “That will require a Ph. D. So for me, I will be in grad school for quite a while until I can try to find a job.”

“He has done everything I have asked of him and then some,” said Rowland. “Henning is a team leader and captain, and is someone we have come to depend on when we need it. He will do well for himself in the future.”

(March 19, 2007)