If ever there is a case to be made out for go big or go home it will be this afternoon in Cape Town when UP-Tuks take to the field to play UWC in the Varsity Tournament.
The defending champions, UP-Tuks, must win. It is not negotiable. A loss will in all probability spell the end of the UP-Tuks Varsity campaign especially if Northwest manages to beat UJ.
The statistics do not favour UP-Tuks as they have never managed to beat UWC in an away game. The weather is certainly going to make for tricky playing conditions. The prediction is that it is going to rain, be windy and cold. In a way, UP-Tuks is prepared for whatever challenges the weather might throw at them as they played in similar conditions during the USSA Tournament.
Tlisane Motaung (UP-Tuks head coach) is not one to worry about the weather because there is nothing he or his players can do to change it in any way. His philosophy is to focus on the controllable, meaning the players should only concentrate on executing what they have been practising during training. There is a plan in place should the conditions really be challenging.
According to Jurgen Booysen who scored a brilliant goal last week against Northwest what counts in UP-Tuks favour is that they seem to be peaking at the right time. He ascribes it to the “Brotherhood”.
“We are not just a group of individuals who happen to play for the same team. First and foremost we are friends who have each other’s back on and off the field,” said the 23-year old who is studying sports management.
Football is Booysen’s passion.
“It is difficult to explain my passion for the sport. It is my life. I just love getting onto the field and do what I do best, and that is to play football. My first memory of football was going to watch my dad, Herman, play. I would throw tantrums if I were not allowed to go to the games. There were times when there was no space for me in the taxi, but my dad would always make a plan.
"He is still my only real role model. He is also my biggest fan. So many times in the past when I was feeling despondent he would be the one to motivate me not to forsake on my passion.”
This season has been frustrating for Booysen. He was forced to the sidelines with a groin injury. It means today he is only playing his third Varsity match.
Booysen considers the goal he scored last week as being the highlight of all the Varsity games he had played so far. To him, it was that one magic moment any passionate player will never forget.
Kick off this afternoon is at 16:00.
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