Star player Gerhard Steynberg does the unexpected
With all eyes on him and his eyes focused on the prize, it's no wonder that Gerhard Steynberg is a man of the match kind of guy.
From school team to national teams, the world is young Gerhard Steynberg’s oyster. The 13-year-old rugby captain has been turning heads with his tactical and impressive play which resulted in him being selected for the U/13 Afrikaner Volkseie Sport(AVS) National Invitational team as well as the independent organisation’s U/13 National Bokkie team.
With this exciting news at the end of the season, it is quite evident that one needs to have a passion for the sport. Gerhard’s proud coach Steve van Eeden boasted with his star player, saying, “Gerrie was the only player chosen to play for both the SA Invitational Team and the SA Bokkie team. However, he had to make a choice as the teams played against each other during the tournament on July 16.”
Gerhard chose to play for the Bokkie team in his favourite and only familiar position as prop. “Prop is a nice position,” said the star player, adding that the reason he loves rugby is because the physicality of the sport is lekker. His inspiration is 28-year-old Springbok and Golden Lions hooker Malcom Marx.
Gerhard said he was very happy to hear that his hard work had paid off. His coach relayed the story of how he broke the news to him. “The teams would only be announced the following day after the AVS Bokkie Week final. I called Gerrie’s father and asked that he give the phone to Gerrie, to which he responded ‘he’s actually in the bathtub’. I said ‘well you will have to knock and enter’, and that is exactly what he did.
“I asked him to put me on speaker and then I told him and his parents, Mickey and Christel, ‘congratulations you have been selected for the National team’. His father was in tears, and so was I because I know the hard work he put in,” Steve said.
Gerhard is dreaming of even greener pastures, with his sights set on joining the Khosa Rugby Club. “It’s close to home and some of my friends are there,” he said. Looking at joining Die Wit Bulle next year at Hoërskool Monument this is just the beginning for the talented player.
Gerrie, as his friends call him would like to tell his peers to work hard and also thanked his dad for pushing him and only wanting the best for him.
With a coach to help him reach his goals, his family supporting him, two-time man of the match winner Gerhard shows great potential for the world of rugby.
