TIME has been called on an impressive football career, as Simon Berkefeld recently announced his retirement from the game.
Berkefeld spent his last four years as a player with Penola in the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara league, after departing South Gambier, where he started as a junior.
Since those early years football has taken Berkefeld on an exciting ride, although it has to be said he is hesitant to speak about it.
Those who know Berkefeld understand he is not one to blow his own trumpet, so to speak to him briefly about what football has meant to him was pleasing.
After just a few short minutes talking you soon come to the realisation it was all about the sport for him, not the accolades that come with it.
League and club best and fairest awards have come, along with representation at interleague and state level.
Berkefeld said he remembers fondly the premiership success with the Demons and the Eagles, but it appears the friendships he has forged along the way mean as much, if not more.
Berkefeld began as an Under 14 at South Gambier, where he spent a year, before moving up to Under 16s for another couple.
Even those first forays into the sport came through a mate.
“One of my best mates was playing and I started playing with him,” Berkefeld said.
From there he took some time off, but even that hiatus revolved around football.
“I took a year off to be a boundary umpire,” Berkefeld said.
“I was doing the A Grade, just for the fitness really … I love running.
“I absolutely loved it and even with umpiring I got to go to a carnival in Adelaide, which was cool.
“It was probably the best thing for my football because when I came back I was super keen to play again.”
Berkefeld continued with South for around 15 years, with two premierships along the way.
From there he made the decision to head up to Penola and join the Eagles, where he tasted further premiership success, along with various personal accolades.
However, again it was also about the friendships he forged.
“It was a tough decision, because I had a lot of good mates at South,” Berkefeld said.
“I thought about having a year off football, but knew some guys up at Penola who had come from South.
“I loved it up there.
“It was a new challenge and I have met a lot of new people as well.
“It is a good club and they are good people.”
Berkefeld has represented both the Western Border and Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara leagues at interleague level, along with South Australia at state level.
He said he would recommend the experience to anyone who was able to play.
“It is good for a few reasons,” Berkefeld said.
“Personally you can test yourself at a high level, but probably more importantly you get to play with guys you only see from an opposition sense at club level.
“The footy is a good standard, but when you play with those guys you see them for the person they are, rather than just the opposition player.
“You make good friends and gain a bit more respect for them.”
At 32 years of age it would be easy to expect a player of Berkefeld’s calibre to continue on.
But it appears the quietly spoken player is satisfied with what he has achieved.
He said he would continue to be involved with his first sporting love – basketball – where he currently plays under his brother Matt for the Mount Gambier Lakers in the Victorian-based Country Basketball League.
But despite his retirement, no doubt he will still be seen around the various football venues in the region as a spectator.
