Westphal, from Martensdale, completed a bachelor's degree in physical education from Buena Vista. For the next 33 years, he taught physical education and coached high school baseball for Lenox Community Schools. For a portion of those years, Westphal was the head girls and boys golf coach and head football coach, as well as the school's athletic director.

During his 33 years of experience as head baseball coach, he led his teams in more than 800 games and earned a record of 638 wins and 215 losses. Westphal has coached his teams to 13 conference championships, 16 sub-state finals, nine state tournaments, including the 2006 Class 1A State Championship. More recently, as a volunteer head coach, he led the Martensdale St. Mary's High School baseball team to back-to-back undefeated seasons, breaking a national record of 87 straight wins and three consecutive state championships in 2010-2012. Westphal has also been a fall coach with Perfect Game USA since 2007.

Westphal has received numerous awards including being named the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) National Baseball Coach of the Year (2010), three-time Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Coach of the Year (1989, 2005, 2006), three-time IHSBCA All Star Coach of the Year (1984, 1989, 1997), Iowa Sports Connection Coach of the Year (2009), and was inducted into the IHSBCA Hall of Fame in 2004. He has also coached  many of his players to individual awards including 19 IHSBCA All-Star Players, 20 IHSBCA First-Team All-State players, and the 2006 Bob Feller Award for pitcher of the year.