JARRED MEYER OVERCOMES A BROKEN LEG TO ACHIEVE A BOYHOOD DREAM

Jarred Meyer is a rare commodity in South African football and has attracted a lot of attention since joining

PSL side Jomo Cosmos. That’s because Meyer is one of a few white players currently playing in ’s professional football league.

Recent years have seen a dearth in white footballing talent and many experts and football pundits have been scratching their heads trying to figure out why this talent is not coming through the ranks anymore compared to previous years where we had the likes of , , , Andrew Tucker to name but a few.

No one has been able to find the answer to this million dollar question but 23 year-old Jarred Meyer is perhaps the pioneer of the resurgence. Jarred has shown great resolve and courage to overcome a broken leg and to finally achieve his dream of playing professional football, a dream that he has achieved through the Nedbank Cup Ke Yona Team Search.

“I started at Bloemfontein Celtic with the under 17’s and then under 19’s but I could not break into

the first team, so I went to play in the Third Division and that’s where I was spotted by the then Free

State Stars coach Steve Komphela who is now at Kaizer Chiefs.”

Meyer finally believed that his dream had come true after signing a pre-contract with Ealla Koto but his joy was short-lived when a horrendous tackle at training left him with a broken leg and he was eventually released by Free State Stars.

“That was a huge disappointment for me, I had to come back home to Bloem and I went back to my studies and played a bit of amateur football for Baps United when I recovered and during this time I managed to obtain my degree, but when I was about to start looking for a job, the Nedbank Cup Ke Yona Team Search opportunity came along and I thought to myself let me give it a try.”

Meyer is grateful for the support of his parents who encouraged him to give football one more try and little did he know that a few months down the line he would be signed by a legendary South African football figure and a man renowned for spotting raw talent, , who offered him a contract.

“The Nedbank Cup Ke Yona Team Search opened a lot of opportunities for me, when I was given a chance to train with Cosmos, I grabbed it with both hands and I was very surprised when a man of Jomo Sono’s standing said he wants me in his team and the rest is history but there is still a long way to go as I want to be a regular in the PSL.”

Meyer credits and applauds Nedbank for making his dream of playing professional football come true, “I already had a job lined up for me and I would be working now if it wasn’t for the Nedbank Cup and I’m so appreciative of this opportunity and finally realising my lifelong dream of playing professional football. I can safely say that I am proud of myself and a true example that hard work, dedication and perseverance does pay off”…

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