Bluff soccer star chases his dream

EAGER to take to strap on his boots in pursuit of his very own ‘American Dream’ is Kieron Jacks.

The zealous, Bluff born, soccer player has been afforded the opportunity to play and study abroad on a full athlete tuition scholarship.

He shared that it was an old high school friend who currently resides in America, who organised a team of local talented players, which he was a part of, to play together against other teams. “Our games were recorded on video to send to various coaches abroad who were looking to scout individual players. It wasn’t long until I was contacted with an offer from a coach in Iowa Lakes Community College in America to study and play soccer. It is an 80% scholarship.

“I’ve always wanted to leave the country and play abroad, wherever it may be. So when I got the call I couldn’t believe it for the first day or two. But when I was requested to start sending certain documents then it became a reality that this is happening. It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to leave the country and chase your dreams. So it was a very overwhelming moment but exciting too.”

He is currently raising funds for the remaining 20% that he needs to pay for which will cover food and accommodation during his time in America.

“The fundraising has been going well. My parents have been very supportive and know a lot of people in soccer who have been very helpful,” said Kieron who also has a GoFundMe Page.

He plans to leave at the end of August to begin his new chapter of being an athlete student in America. “Soccer will be my priority but I also need to ensure I do my best in school and get a degree. I’ve been looking at enrolling in a marketing and communications course.”

In his developmental years, he has played for local clubs including, Bayview FC, Young Cavaliers FC and Shooting Stars FC before moving onto Super Sport United for two years and later played for SA in the COSAFA Cup at the age of 15 in 2017.

He came back home for a year in 2018 and played for KZN Academy before moving to Cape Town where he played for Cape Town City until recently. “I left Cape Town City at the beginning of this year due to contractual issues. There were certain things that I needed from the club but unfortunately, they weren’t able to provide me with that. It wasn’t easy but I could see it coming so I wasn’t too upset about it.

“The Covid-19 lockdown also impacted me in a very negative way, both in terms of my contract, my hopes to get more game time in the reserve league, to be a regular starter as well as train with the first team. When that didn’t map out as planned, my morale was low and I could see my time running out at the club because of the circumstances. But I was able to stay active in my personal capacity in order to keep fit. Playing for the club was very enjoyable though. Although lockdown kept me off the field for most of last year, I have excelled very well as a player. It was a very different environment and a positive challenge for me in improving my performance and skills.

“I’m most proud of the person I have become over the years. It hasn’t been easy as it took a lot of growing up because of the reality check that not everything in life will work out the way you want it to. How you get up from the upsets will define who you are and where you want to be. I’ve learnt to take life as it comes and persevere through the challenges and appreciate the achievements,” said the skilled centre-back player who is greatly inspired by Steven Gerrard.

Asked whether he is nervous about his new endeavour, his answer was simply, “No, not at all. I’ll definitely miss my family but I’m so excited about this opportunity.”

He draws his support from God and his family who have been pivotal to his success. A life lesson that he will always hold dear is to be mindful of his decision making. “What I’ve learnt from not staying with my parents is that you have to grow up very fast and be independent. You need to make your own decisions and if you make the wrong ones, whether it be in terms of football or off the pitch, you have to deal with the circumstances on your own. At any moment you can be forced to handle things efficiently.

“In terms of soccer, I’ve learnt the importance of having dedication, drive and discipline from your training, to when the whistle goes off when it’s game time. I’m passionate about what I do but there are challenges at times and I just need to find the motivation within myself. Setting goals is also very important so don’t find yourself drifting by the day with no vision for your future. Any opportunity that comes my way I will take it if it will benefit me in the long run. I’m very excited to be on the right path of realising my football dreams,” said a driven Kieron who hopes to one day play for Liverpool.  

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