It’s official, Geraldo Flusk has obtained a junior contract with South African professional rugby union team, the Vodacom Blue Bulls. From Hangklip High to Grens High in East London to Garsfontein in Pretoria… a journey that was filled with hardship and tribulation stitched together with hard work, dedication to the cause and chasing a dream. Through perseverance there is reward.
This is the story of Geraldo Flusk. It is a story that comes to grips with the realities of modern-day sport and the reality faced by many young sportsmen.
Born in the dusty streets of Komani, his parents are Gezel and Angelo Lottering. A background, like most in the areas of Aloevale, New Rest, Parkvale, Sabata and Newvale, where the average household barely survives on its monthly income and the streets are crippled with alcohol and drug abuse. Many young men find solace and comfort on the sports fields, where raw talent is on full display. It also acts as a mechanism to forget about your current situation and struggles and for that moment feel like superstar among your peers.
At a very young age he had to man-up and face the uncertainty of a world full of promise…but promises can be deceiving, with the real world a place of loneliness for many aspiring young players. At the age of 14 Geraldo left the comfort and warmth of his parents’ home in pursuit of that dream. The same dream that players like Roelof Smit, Johan Meyer, Khaya Malotana, Ryan Kankowski, Lwazi Mvovo, S’Bura Sithole, Lionel Cronje and Allan Dell have chased and reached. More recently players like Andisa Ntsila, Yaw Penxe, Simon Bolze, Justin and Christopher Hollis have done the same.
To chase that elusive dream and with the odds stacked against you, one needs a support system. One needs that person, whether a family member or a friend who will help to push you and lift you up when all seems dark, and in Geraldo’s case Bernard Flusk and family became his beacon of hope.
Flusk had the natural talent and skill set to make it big, as he impressed wherever he played. His versatility in the backline, where he can slot in comfortably at any position, makes him a potent weapon. He was selected for U12 and U13 teams. His biggest break came when he was snatched by Garsfontein from Grens High. That pushed his young rugby career to the limits. He impressed up north in Pretoria and was soon a favourite with the Blue Bulls selectors. He cracked the nod in the Bulls’ Grant Khomo U16 team and was also a firm favourite in the Bulls Sevens teams. Geraldo was on top of his game at the 2019 U18 Craven Week for the Bulls and was nicknamed by television commentators the “Rolls Royce” of the Bulls for his outstanding tries. Those performances elevated him to being selected to the SA Schools side, one of the greatest achievements for any schoolboy.
Tragedy struck for the young man when he was injured just before the junior internationals. It was a very disappointing period for him when his elation turned to heartbreak. Flusk stated: “As a player you always dream about playing for the SA Schools team. I was never selected for the junior SA elite squads, so I always felt I was a few steps behind the other players. That motivated me to work harder. But after the joy, agony struck. I am glad it happened, though, because through that I have learned valuable lessons. The lesson that I’ve learned is not to work for results, but rather enjoy what you are doing, results will take care of themselves. Enjoy every moment because there are people out there whose only dream is to walk again. It’s always God’s plan.”
Talks are at an advanced stage with Tuks (University of Pretoria) where he will further his studies and play Varsity Cup. Flusk’s immediate goal is to get back on the field of play and make the Junior Boks U20 side.
This is a story about hope…a story that, through adversity and against all odds, with the right attitude, perseverance, hard work and love for the game, anything is possible.
