Jari De Wolf
Current club: Kvc Jong Lede
Previous Club: Kvv Schelde
Birthday: 02-04-2003
Why did you become a goalkeeper?
Becoming a goalkeeper was a big dream from a young age, but of course it was not so obvious. Jari De Wolf’s parents were a bit sceptical about this idea and tried to talk him out of it for as long as possible. As a result, he remained on the pitch as a field player up until the U15s (apart from a few matches at KVV Schelde where he was allowed to play as a reserve goalkeeper). When he moved to KVC Jong Lede, a lot changed in Jari De Wolf’s life. Not right away, because the first year he played there, he was also a regular field player, but when they played a tournament at the end of the season and they just had 11 players without a goalkeeper, the choice of who would take his place in goal was quickly made. When you win that tournament with penalty kicks in the final, you can certainly speak of a successful debut. As the team was also looking for a new goalkeeper, the coach immediately asked the group, because it’s not just me, of course, but the whole group, and they had to be able to cope with it as well. After all, you win as a team and you lose as a team.
If you want to see how Jari stops a penalty shot by Michiel, take a look on https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx0UJZkF_v8E-afrwi6d8p5mXE3MvOwJHrCcbo0/
There are bound to be prejudices, how do you deal with them?
The opponents often know something to motivate themselves. The opponent’s goalkeeper is too small, too fat, or in Jari De Wolf’s case only plays with one hand. Why this psychological game needs to be played is a big question mark, because just like with Jari, this will also be an extra motivation for other goalkeepers to show this team that “laughing” was not the right choice and that they need to prove themselves with their feet first, not their mouths.
How important is a goalkeeper’s glove to you?
In Jari’s case, a goalkeeper’s glove is even more important than for anyone else. Not only does he have to absorb the shock of the kick with that one hand, but he also has to try and grip the ball. Therefore, the grip is extremely important, but also the thickness of the latex. A combination that he finds perfectly in the Prostar Goalkeeper gloves. Are you curious now, because you can already hear yourself asking the question, how do you clench a ball with only one hand? In the Film ever made for the World Cup you can see Jari together with Céline Dept and Michiel Callebaut at work
What do you still want to achieve in football?
Jari De Wolf has just turned 18 and has been playing for a year now at a high level underprivileged team, which is already a great achievement for someone with one hand. And no, not with the promise of a provincial team, but with a team that is currently in 3rd Amateur league and whose youth team has to play its matches at inter-provincial level. Of course, you can only achieve this by working hard, and hard work is rewarded by the fact that he regularly trains with the first team. This training has only increased his urge to do even better. The will to train even harder has only increased and maybe one day he will make his debut with the first team. A dream for which he will continue to work every day.
Besides football, studies are very important, how do you see the future?
That Jari De Wolf is a very down-to-earth person is something we did not have to tell you when you got this far in the article. He is now studying accounting and computer science, and next year he will go to college to further his studies. Through these higher studies, he also wants to find a well-deserved job that he can do with all his passion. Just like football, so he hopes to be able to continue combining the two in the future.
Anyone who plays football knows that you are often away from home at whatever level you play, and the hours quickly run out. So working and playing football is not an obvious combination. Still, Jari’s girlfriend will always be his number one priority.
What advice would you give to young goalkeepers?
That we have a lot of respect for Jari’s attitude to life. And that he is a GREAT example for many young goalkeepers you will surely agree with after this article. Still, he says that you have to keep dreaming and chasing your dreams. No matter what others say, you have to keep believing in yourself and believe that what you want to achieve can be achieved. Sometimes, it will not be easy or straightforward, but if you keep fighting and working, one day it will be achieved.
Which models did he choose?
Jari De Wolf does not hesitate and chooses the best affordable quality available on the market. No compromise on quality or price. Among other things, he chose the following models. Do you also want to work with these professional goalkeeper gloves?
