Amazulu strikes gold with Stoffels
In the last two years, he has gone from zero to hero
SOCCER success, Dylan Stoffels from the Bluff has his eye on international acclaim after his first team debut for Amazulu.
In a match against Cape Town All Stars at the end of October, 16-year-old Dylan made his debut for the first team as one of the youngest players to do so.
Within his first few minutes on the field during the second half, he set up the first goal of the match to allow his team to take the lead and win the game.
This is not his first taste of success however. Dylan’s name is well-known in South Durban, having won many awards at last year’s Engen U17 Knockout Challenge, scoring a hat-trick in the AmaZulu U19 opening match at the Metropolitan Premier Cup tournament and playing for the SA U17 team in the FIFA U17 World Cup earlier this year.
His father, Trevor Stoffels is proud of his son, who is doing well.
“We are all proud of him, the whole family. His success has been a long time coming and in the last two years, he has gone from zero to hero,” said Trevor.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Dylan began playing soccer at the age of four.
“I wanted to play professionally, but it wasn’t to be, so I took my son to play at a young age. From about seven-years-old, you could tell he was an above-average player and now he is living my dream.”
His illustrious career began in a match against Amazulu. Playing for Wentworth Football Club, Dylan scored all four goals in the match, marking him as a player to watch and landing him in the U15 Amazulu team.
The whole Stoffels family is sports orientated and is supporting Dylan as he makes a success of himself. He hopes to make it into a professional soccer league in Europe one day.
“He has a big future ahead and coach, Clive Barker made some good comments about him on that future.”
For now, Dylan is focused on school work, as he writes his grade 11 exams at Durban High School and his family ensures he maintains a balance in life between soccer, family and school. In his school career, Dylan has won multiple awards for soccer, athletics, cricket, swimming and cross-country.
“He is a grounded child and with my wife as his pillar of strength, he will make a success of himself but no matter what, we are proud of him and who he is,” said Trevor.
