Tough but humble and soft-hearted
I have realised that this is a young man's game
His love for Kung Fu started when he was a youngster and for the past 29 years, his name, Shifu Jurgens Lamprecht, has been synonymous with this type of martial arts.
He started coaching Kung Fu in 1985. After he matriculated in 1989 at Hoërskool Monument High in Krugersdorp, he joined the police force as a detective, and was stationed in Pretoria.
“I continued coaching throughout, but decided to focus all my attention on Shaolin. I love this sport, not only because it assists with the basic development of body, mind and soul, but also because it teaches you respect and discipline. It is a great vehicle to uphold the basic principles of life.”
As one of the founding members of the Wushu Federation in South Africa, he was elected as president in 2016. “Most people are familiar with the sport as Kung Fu, and although Wushu and Kung Fu are one and the same sport, Wushu became popular in the East of China while Kung Fu was more popular in the West,” he said.
Jurgens is currently recognised as the national coach for the Protea Wushu team and is also the ambassador in South Africa for this type of martial arts. “Kung Fu has attained International Olympic Committee status.”
Apart from his passion for martial arts, he is also passionate about children. “I established the Little Forest Academy of Learning this year, with the aim of relieving overcrowding in schools. It is a traditional academic school but I have incorporated Kung Fu as well. I have rolled out massive anti-bullying campaigns because it is just totally unacceptable that bullies target other children.”
Kung Fu and earning a name as an avid collector of all things related to Star Wars is not all he is made of. He loves 4×4-ing and also holds a registered pilot’s licence. “Years ago, I was the owner of my own helicopter, but, although I enjoyed aviation because it is an art form, I did not find enough time to fly the required hours per year.”
Jurgens said he is quite sentimental about valuable things, and apart from living a healthy lifestyle, his preferred food is Italian Chinese. “Although I do eat fish, I regard myself as a vegetarian. I am also passionate about animal rights and believe that all animals should be protected from neglect and abuse.”
Although he does not compete in this sport any longer, his love for it keeps him coaching. “I have realised that this is a young man’s game. Younger competitors are way too fast,” he laughed.
According to Jurgens, he is actually a bit of a nerd. “I am an avid Star Wars collector and often attend the Star Wars conventions in America. I also collect the original posters from actual movies, especially the Bruce Lee movies. He made Kung Fu famous in the west of China,” he said with a grin.
At 47 years of age, Jurgens said the sport has taught him many things, like calmly making specific decisions. “I have learned to judge less and to stop blaming others for my mishaps. You have to take responsibility for your actions, be honest, but also learn and grow.
“My time is very precious and although I love travelling and have visited most countries, I try to incorporate the sport wherever I go – I don’t just go on holiday,” he said.
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