Former footballer warns against alcohol and drug abuse

Former Black Africa and national football team defender Gerry Keister is a living proof that hard work and discipline pays off.

Growing up in his grandmother’s home at Otjiwarongo, in the Otjozondjupa region, the retired right back went on to represent Namibia at all junior levels before he eventually got the big break to put on a Brave Warriors jersey.

“I started playing organised football at the age of eight when I turned out for the under-10 team at the former Herero Primary School, now known as Orwetoveni Primary School in Otjiwarongo. Like all the young boys of my age we first started playing in the streets,” says Keister.

“Those were very hard days because we didn’t even have football boots for a starter. However, driven by my will to succeed and my dedication to football I was spotted by the national team selectors, first by the under-17 team and later by the under-19 team.”

Then still a speedy winger, Keister was a member of National Schools Sport Union (NSSU) under-19 team that went to represent the country at the Zone Six Ball Games in South Africa.

He surely must have done something right during that tournament at Esselen Park outside Johannesburg because he was later called up to the under-20 side and later in the under-23 team that went to engage their counterparts from the southern African region in the Zone Six Championships hosted by Lesotho as well.

“I could not believe my ears when late coach Seth Orlando Boois invited me to the Brave Warriors camp after a friendly match with the Otjozondjupa regional against the Brave Warriors at the Paresis Stadium in Otjiwarongo,” enthuses the former star.

“I was still playing for my home team Global Warriors in the first division. The late Zambian coach Ben Bamfuchile was in charge of the national team at the time and we even went to play a friendly international match against Zimbabwe and I played the whole match.”

The entire class of 98 were still trying find their footings at the time and the team was but they were boosted by players like Mohammed ‘Slice’ Ouseb and Robert ‘Baggio’ Nauseb, who were plying their trade with South African glamour boys Kaizer Chiefs at the time and Ronnie ‘The Magnet’ Kanalelo who played for the exciting Mamelodi Sundowns.

Born by a Himba mother at Opuwo, in the Kunene region, Keister was raised by his paternal grandmother at Otjiwarongo.

He started to show football potential at a very young age and it didn’t come as any surprise at all when he was drafted into the Otjozondjupa under-17 team that lost in the final of the Rossing Cup against a Quinton ‘Magic’ Jacobs-led Khomas.

Keister first got a taste of top flight football when he was recruited by coach Herman Katjiuanjo to join Life Fighters who were campaigning in the Namibian Premier League.

“I was persuaded by coach David ‘Fellah’ Snewe, who was coaching Black Africa at the time, to join the Namibian cup kings in the city in 2000. No player could resist an opportunity to play for the country’s most successful team. Their player list reads like a dream,” Keister notes.

“I mean, playing alongside star players like Lolo Goraseb, Masepo Dausab, Doc Jossop, Ruben van Wyk, Eric Quest and George Dlamini was every player’s dream. I joined without hesitation and I soon got the feel of how winning a league and major cup tournaments was.”

The soft-spoken star, who joined BA as a right winger, was soon converted into a right back by coach Ali Akhan who replaced Snewe later and he enjoyed his football in his new position.

Keister received a real baptism of fire when he travelled to Egypt with the Brave Warriors where they were taught a comprehensive free football lesson as the Pharaohs ran out 8-2 victors during a Fifa World Cup.

Keister, who was always runner-up for the sportsman of the year title on the few times that he was nominated at Paresis Secondary School, was also a strong jumper who represented his region in both the high jump and long jump at the nationals a few times, without any success.

The former football player describes his game as tactical and very direct.

“I was not one of the most skilful players and I mostly made use of my speed. I was super fit because I made sure that I put in a very good shift during team practice. I just played to my coach’s instructor and never tried to complicate matters for myself,” he says.

“My playing style was just to pass the ball and run into space to receive it back. It didn’t require a lot of skills, didn’t it? I was there when I was needed in defence and I always pushed up to add the numbers upfront when we were on the attack. I just loved joining the attack.”

The former Paresis Secondary School star also had a stint with SKW before he went into retirement.

Keister’s career was not always rosy as he ever regrets allowing himself into the trap of drinking alcohol after training sessions and even after games, saying that by the time he realised it was too late and he found himself dependable to boost, his biggest regret in life.

A divorcee, Keister is a proud father of two daughters.

“I am just happy I managed to get out of the habit of drinking alcohol and I even speak to young people from my community and I tell them to reject the temptation of drinking alcohol and to do drugs because it is of no use and doesn’t benefit you in any way,” he says.

“Right now I am employed as a handiman at a block of flats where I am doing occasional repairs like fixing doors, fitting broken windows and also fixing leaking taps. It is not something big but this is my way of saying that I am mending my ways and I am happy for the chance.”

Keister, who says that he is pleased with what he has achieved as a player, mentions his former teammate and goalkeeper at Black Africa, as the person with the biggest influence on his career “because he always motivated us and warned us against the evils of drinking alcohol.”

The former defender admits that he misses his playing days a lot adding that he wishes that he could turn back the clock to his playing days.

“My love for football is what made me still involved in the game as a coach. I’m coaching a second division team known as AmaRoots. We have a lot of talented players but some of these boys are just not serious about football. There is just no will to succeed,” Keister says.

“For them they consider football as a leisure time activity only with no ambition to move up to the first division and subsequently the premier league. They are not even dreaming about playing for the junior national teams which could open doors for them to play for the Brave Warriors.”

The retired star, who says that he misses the campings, togetherness and the traveling with the national team abroad is advising young players to guard against bad influences.

“Choose your friends very carefully in this life and stay away from friends who offer you alcohol and drugs. Those two doesn’t augur well for a sportsman because you have to respect your God-given talent. Work hard and make sure that you are always super fit,” he urges.