FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 10, 2011

Contact:  Robert Preston, Jr.,
              912.260.4276
              robert.preston@sgc.edu

Gourgel, Waters To Continue Soccer Careers at Next Level

Two South Georgia College soccer players, Nuno Gourgel and Johnny Waters, have had their college careers extended by two more years. Gourgel has signed to play soccer at Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa, while Waters is heading up the East Coast to play for Bloomfield College in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

Gourgel, a midfielder/forward, tallied five goals, seven assists and 17 points in 16 games for the 2010 Tigers. A native of London, England, he came to the U.S. to play soccer, and landed at SGC. Gourgel had been to the States before, but not to stay for an extended period of time. Douglas is quite a bit different from London, both in terms of size and climate. “When I first got here, I had mixed feelings. But I got comfortable pretty soon,” he says. The first two weeks were difficult, but after he adapted to the weather, he thrived under head coach Ken Kirsch. “I didn’t want to come here and fail. I wanted to stick it out.”

Gourgel has been coached since he was nine years old, and has played soccer almost all of his life. Coach Kirsch’s style – a fast, pass-oriented game – suits Gourgel very well. It’s similar to the way he grew up playing in London. From the time he arrived at SGC, his plan was to play at a four-year school. He’s excited about the opportunity and is looking forward to playing two more years.

Gourgel is majoring in sports management, but he hasn’t made up his mind regarding what he will do in the future. He may stay in the States or he could return to England. “We’ll see what opportunities come up,” he says.

Waters, a 6’4” midfielder who recorded three goals, three assists and nine points this season, arrived at SGC via St. Simons Island. He grew up in Manchester, England, but moved to the U.S. five years ago. Several family members on his mother’s side live in the Brunswick/St. Simons area. He wanted an opportunity to play soccer in college and he wanted to be close to his family. Waters finished high school in England but had to earn a GED when he arrived in the States. “I just moved here and took it day by day,” he says. Waters had heard of SGC; after he received his GED, he worked his way into a tryout for the Tigers. Former head coach Al Horner signed Waters but he suffered an injury and redshirted his freshman year. After he recovered, Coach Kirsch had come to campus, and Waters played two years for him.

The initial impressions Waters had about American soccer weren’t very good. He came here thinking the level of soccer would be far inferior to what he was used to in England. He quickly found out that wasn’t the case. “My first year here, I saw that the game was very physical and demanding. I was quite impressed by the standard of soccer here. This is a tough region, and the soccer is very good,” he says. American players are faster and more athletic, but British soccer is more tactical and physical.

Both Gourgel and Waters are confident that their time at SGC helped make them better players and have opened up these opportunities to them. “I enjoyed playing for Coach Kirsch. I learned a lot from him and he sharpened my game. His style of play suits me; it’s the way I like to play,” says Gourgel. Waters always knew he had the ability to play in America but he also realized his game needed some fine-tuning. Both of his coaches at SGC helped make him a better player. “Coach Kirsch stressed the importance of holding my position and using the whole field. He opened my mind and my game while I was here. I learned that soccer is about more than just scoring goals,” he says.

Waters is majoring in business and English. He is interested in a career in international business and may split time between the U.S. and England once he graduates.

“I am extremely glad Nuno and Johnny made these decisions. Both had a few offers and they deserve these opportunities. Both will be missed as players and great people in our program,” says Coach Kirsch.

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About South Georgia College

South Georgia College (www.sgc.edu) was founded in 1906 and is located in Douglas, Ga. The college's environment gives students exceptional opportunities for interdisciplinary study and close collaboration with faculty. With over 20 majors and transfer opportunities, South Georgia College provides the finest education possible to the citizens of its service area.