M&K Gertze’s rugby hero
A rugby player through and through
M&K Gertze High School's Arenzo Izaacs says rugby is an essential part of his life and drives him to always do his best.
Arenzo Izaacs is a grade 11 learner at M&K Gertze High School. Izaacs grew up in Rehoboth and started playing rugby in primary school at the age of eleven. He is now the captain of the M&K Gertze Boys U/19 Rugby, the A team. Izaacs said his father inspired him to play rugby, as he was a rugby player himself.After playing trials in March, Izaacs was chosen to play for the Namibian U/20 rugby team. He said:
“It was a very proud moment for me, I knew that my hard work paid off and all my efforts didn’t go to waste’’.
The team travelled to Zimbabwe on 17 April and played in Harare from 20 to 29 April, returning to Namibia on 30 April. They lost two matches and won one. In 2022, he played for the U/18 national team and went to Wellington, South Africa, for the academy week. In the same year, he played for the U/17 national team, which went to Potchefstroom, South Africa, for the Cosasa Sevens Tournament.
Big dreams
Isaacs aims to become a professional rugby player one day. One of his biggest goals is to play for the Welwitschias rugby team and be part of the team for the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Besides rugby, Isaacs is also interested in marine engineering.
"Rugby is an essential part of my life because my whole family played rugby, especially my father and that drives me to give my best," he said.
Rugby is not just important for Izaacs, but it has also motivated him throughout his life and boosted his confidence.
In 2022, he suffered a shoulder injury and couldn’t play for two months, but that didn’t stop him from pursuing rugby as a career. He added: “Rugby isn’t just my dream, but my life purpose.”
Rugby players often face challenges because rugby is a collision sport. Thus, traumatic injuries sometimes occur, which can include fractured bones, dislocated fingers and elbows, cuts, sprained ligaments, strained muscles, or deep muscle bruises. These injuries can cause players to either quit playing rugby or prevent them from playing for an extended period of time.
To young rugby players aspiring to pursue a career in rugby, understand that whether you win or lose a match, always give your best. Whenever you step onto the field, play with pride, honouring your skills. View every match as an opportunity to gain experience. Above all, love what you do and respect it.