Johannesburg – It did not bother Brylon Petersen how long it would take him to get his degree and indeed, it took the Kaizer Chief’s third-in-line goalkeeper seven years to achieve his dream of being a BSc mechanical engineering graduate.
One of the reasons for the long spell was that he had to make good on his two passions, meandering the academic world of studying at Wits and succeeding in his quest to become a professional footballer.
“Five of the seven years, I was a professional soccer player. I achieved my goal and passion to become a mechanical engineer while registered as a full-time student but could not attend lectures, tutorial or seminars and even practicals at times, like the other students,” said Petersen.
“I owe it to the support of my parents Keith and Kim, actually the whole family, my older brother Brice and younger one Blake. This education thing would not have been a reality for me if it was not through their support. They told me not to choose one over the other.”
Petersen, 25, believes family support is crucial for one to achieve their goals but he is also grateful to Chiefs, who believed in him and gave him all the encouragement to pursue his studies. He joined Amakhosi’s first team in 2016 but because he did not get much game time with the professional side, he got most of the action with the second-string development MultiChoice Diski Challenge (MDC) side.
In 2017, he won the MDC Shield with the second team when they beat their Mamelodi Sundowns counterparts in the final. Petersen is a product of Varsity Football and was spotted by the Soweto giants while playing in the inter- varsity tournament by the likes of former Glamour Boys keeper Arthur Bartman.
Although the graduate keeper stays in Oakdene, Jozi, the rest of the family is still in Pietermaritzburg, where he was born, grew up and matriculated at Maritzburg College.
He is of the view his qualifications will come in handy in the family business because his parents own a truck and trailer fabrication and manufacturing company.
Petersen is adamant that sport and education go in tandem and this should be “normalised” because it pains him to see former soccer stars suffering financially after hanging up their boots.
“Focus on football but a career outside football is equally important, they have to go hand in hand. My advice to youngsters is to focus their minds and hearts to their goals in order to achieve their passion. “Make sacri ices that will pay out in the future.”
Other players who have earned degrees include former Chiefs stars Tefu Mashamaite, Jimmy Tau, Tsepo Masilela and Lehlohonolo Majoro.
Percy Tau is another educated footie.
Click here to get your Matric 2020 results.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here.
Sunday World
