Pietersen urges PSL players to join Transition Programme
With the long-standing concern of financial insecurity among retiring footballers, Chippa United defender Roscoe Pietersen has advised fellow players to participate in the PSL Transition Programme which saw several players graduating with qualifications from the Gordon Institute of Business Science last week.
The programme empowers football players to thrive beyond their playing careers.
It equips them with educational opportunities and career guidance that extends beyond their athletic abilities, by broadening their knowledge and nurturing personal growth.
It allows footballers to transition into roles such as coaches, analysts, administrators, or ambassadors for the sport, including venturing into business.
The 35-year-old Pietersen was one of the 26 PSL players who graduated along with Nigerian international Daniel Akpeyi.
“When I volunteered for the programme, I set myself clear goals and objectives,” Pietersen said on Friday.
“Whether you’re a young professional footballer or an experienced professional footballer, you will most certainly benefit from the programme.
“The knowledge you gain and the network of professionals you will be a part of, is just gold.
“The opportunity to do the programme is a blessing.
“I executed and ticked all the boxes, resulting in completing the programme and achieving certification.
“The programme equipped me with the tools to make the transition post-retirement from being a professional footballer.
“I have knowledge of business, finance and psychology that I can now use moving forward and also share with family, friends and colleagues.
“It’s of utmost importance. Knowing how to manage your finances as a professional footballer is of great help especially when transitioning into new careers post-retirement.
“As professional footballers, we tend to put ourselves in a bubble blocking us from the outside world.
“Our focus is so much on our football careers that our awareness of the world out there is minimal.
“So being intentional with managing our finances and being more aware of the challenges we will face post-retirement is imperative.”
Pietersen, who studied accounting for two years before becoming a full-time professional footballer, said the knowledge he got from the programme would come in handy for his goal of becoming a coach.
With a handful of years left till he hangs up his boots, Pietersen is now preparing himself to be a coach.
He said he was taking a professional coaching diploma course online,
“Football is my passion and I’ve always had respect for the game. My plans are to stay in football.
“The sport has given me so much and I would like to give back to the game.”