99FM ROYAL HUSTLERS - Garren Smith

New Dreams found at rock bottom

Many people spend their entire lives trying to figure out their purpose in life. Garren Smith has only ever had one dream. After playing his first competitive football match at the age of seven, his love for sport was ignited. His dream was simple: to become a professional footballer. The rest of his school career centred around this future goal. He was exposed to a variety of sports and a disciplined lifestyle at Holy Cross Convent Primary School and worked diligently towards his goal throughout high school at St Paul’s College.

His hard work seemed to have paid off. Garren was awarded a bursary from Stellenbosch University to play football, and his dream was unfolding exactly as imagined. He even found the perfect course to study: a Bachelor of Arts in Sport Science.

Then, in 2010, he suffered a dream-shattering injury. Multiple surgeries on both his knees put the start of his professional career on hold. As he waited to hear from the doctors about his future, he could not imagine a life outside of sports. After the surgeries, bad news followed. The doctors advised him not to pursue professional sports. Garren found himself at rock bottom before he had even started, and now had to face the loss of his dream and a new reality.

Garren’s dad encouraged him to continue with his studies. As an only child, he says his group of friends were like brothers. They stood by him through all the highs and lows, helping him to piece his life back together. Despite the pain of having to give up on his dream, he began to look at the future. “The good part about hitting rock bottom is that there is only one way from there, and that is up,” says Garren.

He went on to do his BA Honours in Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science and his BSc Honours in Biokinetics, all the while honing his skills on and off the field. He decided to pour everything he had learned and experienced back into the Namibian sports scene. By 2021, Garren had founded the Windhoek Pro Sport Performance Academy, and his dream is to help other athletes facing injuries and setbacks to heal and get stronger.

Some of his clients include the women’s indoor hockey team which is currently preparing for the World Cup, Brave Warriors’ Ryan Nyambe and a number of national rugby players. The academy also sponsored Matheus “Spiderman” Angula, a Namibian para swimmer, with strength and conditioning ahead of his campaign in France this year. Garren is hugely inspired by Matheus, of whom he says, “He gives me goosebumps!”

Garren has learned to endorse those around him who are an inspiration to others, showing his gratitude by publicly acknowledging them. During his interview with 99FM, he gave shout-outs to several people, including his dad, his high school friends, Cricket Namibia (for paying their players a salary to incentivise training), the Brave Warriors’ coaching and technical support team, as well as the determined athletes he meets every day.

His new life goal is to grow a high-performance culture in Namibian sports.

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