The first time I spotted Kyle Vorster was at the Georgia Dome back in August when his Walton team faced Norcross in the Corky Kell Classic. A heavy favorite with dominant overall talent, the Blue Devils should have run all over the Raiders, but during the first two quarters, I kept noticing a No. 3 jersey darting through the Norcross defense. In the end, Walton had their upset and Vorster, just a junior, with 141 yards was one of the heroes.
Fast forward four months to a gym on the very edge of eastern Cobb County.
In front of me sits a well-built, respectful 17-year-old who says when I ask him what he learned from last season, “Stay humble. I sort of relaxed during the middle of last season. I did come back towards the end. I need to learn to keep my intensity.”
Stay humble? In a world where even the greatest (Tiger Woods) let us down, it’s nice to hear a teenager not say he is going to save the world. In fact, in a 30-minute interview, Vorster spent more time telling me about his weaknesses, adding, “I’m learning how to make the right decisions.”
One of those is his approach to being a better student-athlete. A learning disability means he has to work hard to be an average student, though just looking at him tells you he is going to be playing football on Saturdays in the fall. This wasn’t always the case.
His father, Marius, told me the story: “He was just some skinny kid when he was in sixth grade and the coaches didn’t think much of him so they put him at receiver. But when one of the running backs got hurt, they threw him in there and he scored twice.”
And he has been scoring ever since, not only because of his natural ability but a workout routine that test even the best of athletes. Of course, Kyle didn’t have too much of a choice since he and his trainer live under the same roof.
From South Africa where he trained rugby players, (you know, those that are crazy enough to play football without pads) Marius Vorster has made a living at training young athletes which include both of his sons.
So what’s it like living and training with ol’ dad?
“We can get into it at times,” said Kyle. “But he’s my biggest fan.”
Unlike many trainers, who overpromise and under deliver, Marius has perfected a safe program for high school athletes, which includes five stages. He believes a balance of hard work, good nutrition and time to get the best results, and his son is an example of how the process works. For instance, over the four-plus years he has been working with his father, Kyle has taken his weight from 135 to 206 pounds but brought down his 40-yard dash from 5.58 seconds to 4.41 and increased his vertical jump from 22 inches to 30. His strength increase can be seen by the chart below but what pops out is that, today, he bench presses 345 pounds, up from 90 when he started.
“Kyle’s a respectful kid and doesn’t rebel against me,” said Marius. “He’s learned to work extremely hard.”
Kyle works in a very controlled environment which can include as many as six meals and four protein shakes a day. He’s constantly in the weight room, not so worried about how much he can lift but how many times he can put the weight in the air. At the same time, he has focused on his speed and when you combine his weight, strength and 40 time, he goes into his senior year as potentially one of the most exciting tailbacks in the state.
While the 870 or so yards he gained last season (he played much of the season with a separated shoulder) has not yet put him on the list of the top football colleges in the country, it appears only a matter of time before they notice him. In what has been one of the top metro Atlanta programs over the last 10 years as well as sending players to top Division I schools, Vorster should benefit greatly from playing for Walton.
“What separates Kyle from a lot of kids is his toughness both on the field and in the weight room,” said Walton head coach Rocky Hidalgo. “The way he works requires a lot of mental toughness. He’s willing to work through pain until he makes those gains. I think he is a heck of a high school high school player; in the top 10 percent. He is an exceptional athlete and owes a lot of it to his hard work. If he does not have a good season, we are not going to have to tough time getting back to the playoffs.”
And more importantly, Hidalgo said, “Kyle’s dad has worked with him as a person. Kyle is a good person. His dad is a good man.”
For now, Kyle is focused on getting strong, getting faster and proving “this crazy-legged kid,” which his dad said he looked like four years, can run with the best in Georgia.
And of course, making the right decisions, especially off the field where teenagers are tempted with the world’s vices every day.
“I’ve seen it, I’ve been around it,” he told me. “But it’s not worth it to me. I have other plans.”
Here’s betting on Kyle VorsterThe first time I spotted Kyle Vorster was at the Georgia Dome back in August when his Walton team faced Norcross in the Corky Kell Classic. A heavy favorite with dominant overall talent, the Blue Devils should have run all over the Raiders, but during the first two quarters, I kept noticing a No. 3 jersey darting through the Norcross defense. In the end, Walton had their upset and Vorster, just a junior, with 141 yards was one of the heroes.
Flash forward four months to a gym on the very edge of eastern Cobb County.
In front of me sits a well-built, respectful 17-year-old who says when I ask him what he learned from last season, “Stay humble. I sort of relaxed during the middle of last season. I did come back towards the end. I need to learn to keep my intensity.”
Stay humble? In a world where even the greatest (Tiger Woods) let us down, it’s nice to hear a teenager not say he is going to save the world. In fact, in a 30-minute interview, Vorster spent more time telling me about his weaknesses, adding, “I’m learning how to make the right decisions.”
One of those is his approach to being a better student-athlete. A learning disability means he has to work hard to be an average student, though just looking at him tells you he is going to be playing football on Saturdays in the fall. This wasn’t always the case.
His father, Marius, told me the story: “He was just some skinny kid when he was in sixth grade and the coaches didn’t think much of him so they put him at receiver. But when one of the running backs got hurt, they threw him in there and he scored twice.”
And he has been scoring ever since, not only because of his natural ability but a workout routine that test even the best of athletes. Of course, Kyle didn’t have too much of a choice since he and his trainer live under the same roof.
From South Africa where he trained rugby players, (you know, those that are crazy enough to play football without pads) Marius Vorster has made a living at training young athletes which include both of his sons.
So what’s it like living and training with ol’ dad? “We can get into it at times,” said Kyle. “But he’s my biggest fan.”
Unlike many trainers, who overpromise and under deliver, Marius has perfected a safe program for high school athletes, which includes five stages. He believes a balance of hard work, good nutrition and time to get the best results, and his son is an example of how the process works. For instance, over the four-plus years he has been working with his father, Kyle has taken his weight from 135 to 206 pounds but brought down his 40-yard dash from 5.58 seconds to 4.41 and increased his vertical jump from 22 inches to 30. His strength increase can be seen by the chart below but what pops out is that, today, he bench presses 345 pounds, up from 90 when he started.
“Kyle’s a respectful kid and doesn’t rebel against me,” said Marius. “He’s learned to work extremely hard.”
Kyle works in a very controlled environment which can include as many as six meals and four protein shakes a day. He’s constantly in the weight room, not so worried about how much he can lift but how many times he can put the weight in the air. At the same time, he has focused on his speed and when you combine his weight, strength and 40 time, he goes into his senior year as potentially one of the most exciting tailbacks in the state.
While the 870 or so yards he gained last season (he played much of the season with a separated shoulder) has not yet put him on the list of the top football colleges in the country, it appears only a matter of time before they notice him. In what has been one of the top metro Atlanta programs over the last 10 years as well as sending players to top Division I schools, Vorster should benefit greatly from playing for Walton.
“What separates Kyle from a lot of kids is his toughness both on the field and in the weight room,” said Walton head coach Rocky Hidalgo. “The way he works requires a lot of mental toughness. He’s willing to work through pain until he makes those gains. I think he is a heck of a high school high school player; in the top 10 percent. He is an exceptional athlete and owes a lot of it to his hard work. If he does not have a good season, we are not going to have to tough time getting back to the playoffs.”
And more importantly, Hidalgo said, “Kyle’s dad has worked with him as a person. Kyle is a good person. His dad is a good man.”
For now, Kyle is focused on getting strong, getting faster and proving “this crazy-legged kid,” which his dad said he looked like four years, can run with the best in Georgia.
And of course, making the right decisions, especially off the field where teenagers are tempted with the world’s vices every day.
“I’ve seen it, I’ve been around it,” he told me. “But it’s not worth it to me. I have other plans.”
Here’s betting on Kyle Vorster.
Rosenberg is the president of Score Atlanta and can be reached at 404-256-1572 and ijrosenberg@scoreatl.com.
Rosenberg is the president of Score Atlanta and can be reached at 404-256-1572 and ijrosenberg@scoreatl.com.
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