Image: Stellenbosch FC
When Kyle Jurgens made his full senior football debut for Stellenbosch FC against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final, he did it not just for himself, but also for his former teammate, the late Oshwin Andries, who passed away earlier this year.
“That was a tough one, because he was actually my best friend. Since the age of 12 we’d been playing against each other – and eventually we came to the same club, and we played together. We did our own extra training together at the club, we went to gym together, we did a lot of things together.
Andries was just 19 when he was stabbed in a frantic knife attack in January, but died when he returned to hospital on Saturday after he complained he wasn’t feeling well. Jurgens explains that this dramatic event changed his view about how people are and that they can be very jealous.
When I heard about the incident, I was at home, I didn’t want to join the team that night. I just wanted to be at home, it had a big effect on me. My football dropped; how I was as a person dropped. I was not interacting with anyone.”
This experience with the loss of his best friend Oshwin Andries could have derailed him entirely. But Jurgens was eventually able to move on and push himself to get back to form, becoming one of the hottest young prospects to watch at Stellenbosch FC.
And now he was facing some of the best players – and arguably the best team – in the country. A team that he used to watch in the stadium…and now here he was right next to them, ready to compete for the same ball on TV.
“I was so nervous, at the time when we first came out to line up and take to the field, but the referee still said that we had to wait eight minutes,” continues the full back from Oceanview, when explaining his thoughts within the Athlone Stadium tunnel against the mighty Masandawana.
“So for that extra eight minutes, I’m looking at the players up close, seeing exactly how tall they are, thinking about how many games they’ve won, the amount of trophies they’ve won. And in my mind, I’m thinking: this is my start.”
And what a start it was, with Jurgens performing with aplomb in his first competitive full senior debut for Stellenbosch Football Club, and helping to secure a 2-1 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns.
It’s Not Just Talent: Starting Slow, Working Hard
Jurgens got his real start playing LFA football at Fish Hoek FC at just six years old. Five years later he requested a trial for himself at the prestigious Ubuntu Football Academy, which has produced a lot of top quality footballers over the years – people like Luke Fleurs, Antonio Van Wyk and Munashe Garananga (to name a few).
He wasn’t selected at first. But he didn’t give up, and eventually convinced those in charge to give him a chance.
“I spent a lot of time on the bench, often not making the team – but I kept pushing until the age of 14, where I started playing more games,” Jurgens says. “Originally I was playing in the attacking midfielder position, then I moved to the six position, the holding midfield position, and I felt so comfortable. I put my heart into that role, and I enjoyed playing it.”
Still, a few years later, he wanted to move on. And while he had opportunities to trial at different clubs, he knew where he wanted to go: Stellenbosch FC. The setup and the environment, and seeing the opportunities that Coach Steve Barker was giving the youngsters – that was the major drawcard.
That didn’t mean it was easy, though.
“It was a bit tough, in my first DStv Diski game I got a red card, it forced me into having to fight for my position again. And then the coach said I was too rough in the middle, and I should play right back. So I said, ‘Okay I’ll play right back’.”
As usual, he gave it his all, playing almost the whole season at right back.
“The last game before we won the DStv Diski Challenge I played in the middle, from there they made a decision that I’m a holding midfielder. So far in my short career things were stressful just based on how much I had to do privately as an individual, in order to become better than the rest.”
And he’s happy to do it. Because if there’s one thing Jurgens has learned about football – and about life – it’s that it’s not all about talent.
“I realised long ago that there are millions of footballers who want to go professional, and that many of them are very talented – most likely more talented than I am. And there was nothing I could do about that. So I focused on what I could control: how hard I worked at getting better. And bit by bit, that’s what I’ve done – and what I’ll keep doing.”
Of course, that doesn’t mean everyone is happy for you when you’re successful. That’s why the most important thing you can control is your people.
“Football, like life, is about people. You must know who to surround yourself with – that is very important in accomplishing anything these days. Your friends matter – even if they aren’t always going to be around.”.
