CHICAGO – After fulfilling his dream of playing professionally in Major League Soccer, former Boylan and Notre Dame standout Greg Klazura is hanging up his cleats for a future in a white coat.
The former Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder/defender will start medical school at the University of Illinois-Chicago this fall after playing two seasons in the MLS.
But before starting his new journey into the medical field, Klazura got in another 4½ months of soccer, this time in Africa, starting in January. After his contract was not renewed by the Whitecaps, he played professionally for the Bantu Rovers, a Zimbabwean Premier League team, and also volunteered as an intern for the HIV non-profit Grassroot Soccer. The organization uses the power of soccer to educate, inspire and mobilize communities to stop the spread of HIV.
“I have always been interested in global health and I knew I wanted to go to a developing country before starting medical school,” Klazura said.
Klazura and his friend Mike Rose decided to venture out of Zimbabwe and travel to Zambia for a bungee jump off of the Victoria Falls Bridge. But when they traveled back after their jump over the border crossing, they were told by immigration officers that their tourist visas were expired. They were detained, jailed for three days and later deported. Klazura left the area two months earlier than expected.
“I really loved Zimbabwe and Grassroot Soccer is a great organization.” Klazura said. “It was unfortunate to end my trip early, but I don’t miss jail.”
Klazura, 25, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Pre-professional Studies at Notre Dame, said he knew he wanted to go to med school when he applied in 2012 — the same year he was drafted by the Whitecaps in the second round (21st overall) of the MLS Supplemental Draft.
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He went on to make his debut in a 2-0 semifinal win over FC Edmonton in the Canadian Championship in May 2012. That year, the Whitecaps became the first Canadian club to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs after securing fifth place in the Western Conference standings. The Whitecaps played their first-ever MLS postseason match and scored their first-ever goal in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Klazura was re-signed for the 2013 season, and deferred his acceptance to medical school.
“I was excited to be back with the team,” he said. “I didn’t know what my future would hold. At that time I had been accepted to med school, but I decided to defer and play another season.”
Klazura finished the 2013 season, appearing in two MLS matches, but the team didn’t renew his contract.
– rrstar.com Description: Rockford Register Star
