About 15 to 20 years ago, and even earlier too, there was an entire generation of awesome Sportsmen & women in South Africa who possibly missed the opportunity which today's sport stars have - Earning Big Money...?
This was not their mistake or undoing, but they were born and grew up during the wrong time in South African sporting history. If you were born round about 1965 - 1973 you would have reached your prime as a sportsman or woman in the late 80's to early 90's, when being a professional sportsman was not possible in this country due to our political state, etc. There were certain individuals who only reached their prime in sport in their later 20's though, who still had the fortune to cash in, or if you were talented and fit enough to keep playing till after 30, which today is considered too old in most sports.
I continually had the dream, like many other teenage boys had in the 1980's here in South Africa, to play for the Springboks in either rugby or cricket. I rated myself as an average player in both sports, but the reality was that when the professional era in sport started for many South Africans, they passed their prime unfortunately, or had to start working full time to make a living, because sport was not going to do it for them.
Either way, I am sure there are many of my 37 - 42 year old (past) sports partners that might agree with this? I wanted to dedicate this post to them, and I also want to take my hat off to those of them who did manage to make a 'career' out of sport...Well done!!...And I am jealous of you all :)
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