They say to bloom where your planted. This is exactly what linebacker and tight end, Hein Jordaan has done for the six years he has been playing football.
“When I played football for the Bantam Steelers, I couldnāt really excel in football because it was a small-town team that had us play against other small-town teams, but it wasnāt really competitive,” says Jordaan. “It was dads coaching and we were playing āfriendlyā games every other weekend.”
However, after a move to Prince George in 2012, Jordaan joined theĀ College Heights SS Cougars and really started to excel at the sport he loved.
“Once we moved to Prince George at the end of 2012, I was able to really flourish in the sport and really play competitively. The coaches knew what they were doing and I was able to really grow in the sport. The CHSS Cougars werenāt the biggest or best team in the community the last couple of years, but we had fight.”
He says that his role model is Luke Kuechly because “he seems like that one small town guy that had big dreams, worked for them, and achieved them.” He aspires to have Kuechly’s game presence and athleticism, but also says that he wants to remain humble and not let his ego get in the way of playing the best he can, like Kuechly.
“Kuechly isnāt the biggest guy on the field, but the opposing team trembles when heās on the field. He knows football, he lives and breathes football,” says Jordaan.Ā
Standing at 5’11 and 215-pounds, Jordaan finished his senior year with 32 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 fumble recovery in 4 games. An injury sidelined him for the last two games, but says he was on track to register 40 tackles for the season.Ā
In 2014-2015 he earned the team’s Most Valuable Player Award and for last season as a high school player he earned the ‘Mr. Right’ award.Ā This award is handed out to the most influential and inspirational player on the team that also hasnāt missed a practice or a game the whole season.Ā
This type of discipline and hard work carries over into Jordaan’s overall plan for his future with football. In the off-season, Hein plans to goĀ the local gym 4-5 days a week, lifting weights, doing cardio, and improving his speed and agility. He also plays basketball to help with fast footwork and conditioning on top of the gym workouts.Ā
“Because football requires you to be strong to take players down, have stamina to carry the ball to the end-zone, and be agile enough to dodge anyone and everything that gets in your way, you have to work on absolutely everything your body consists off.”Ā He adds,Ā “You have to be the best you can possibly be on the field. But to achieve that, you have to work just as hard off the field as you do on the field. Iām not there yet, but I strive to become the best I can possibly be every day.”
In order to become the best you can, going to camps and games helps with getting valuable playing experience outside of your high school team. Jordaan wants to get ranked and move on to the next level of football.
“My goal for the CFCFPC is to show what I am able to do on the field (and off) and why Iāll make an excellent player on the team. This will also give me the opportunity to see in which areas Iām strong in and also which areas of my game I can improve on. CFCFPC will open doors to meeting like-minded people that will help steer me in a direction to thrive as a football player.”
He goes on to say, “I enjoy the off-season just as much as the in-season. The reason for that is that I know I am making improvements on myself, getting stronger, faster, and better. But you never know exactly how much youāve improved until you step onto the field again and you have an opportunity to feel and experience them.”
From his first day of practice to every season that he gets to play, Jordaan’s passion for his sport and competition in general, grows.
“Every season Iāve stepped foot on the field, I have come ready, with a bigger and more refined package than the last. Because I love the game so much, I want to excel in it and want to make it a career, if it lets me. Football is the one thing Iām sure of in life.”
“Itās not always about how good you do on the field as long as you donāt lose faith, you keep bringing your personal best with every game, and most importantly, you enjoy yourself and the interconnectivity of the team.”
Hein Jordaan (#81)
Position(s): LB, TE
Ht/Wt: 5’11, 215lbs
Teams: Estevan Bantam Steelers, College Heights SS Cougars (CHSS)
Class: 2017
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