Photo Rémi Philippon
The leader lived eight of the twenty professional seasons Boulazacoises. With two climbs and two finals in Bercy.
From the top of his 1m93, 267 pros games with Boulazac contemplate you. “I started at 18 in the LNB, I arrived in Boulazac in 2010, I left in 2018: half of my professional career, calculates the northerner. So inevitably, the club is very high in my c’ur ‘after the BCM! »»
Gravelines where he continues to play at 41 years old, in national 3, since 2021. Now, even his second child, 4 years old recently, has been dismissed! The leader, at the same time employed in the banking sector, is thus well occupied. So impossible to free yourself to come to the Palio this Tuesday.
Strong emotions
This does not prevent him from following the BBD results. “I thought that the direct climb would be for Orleans,” he admits. Now, between Boulazac and Blois, it’s 55 or 60 % chance for Blois. Afterwards, being champion, we save time on everything. But when we do it in playoffs, the story is more beautiful. »»
Kerckhof knows it for having lived it twice with the BBD. First in 2012. “We had a great group: Darryl Monroe extraordinary, Ryan Ayers so under-commissioned ‘and the final in Bercy, the walk in Périgueux the next day to arrive on the town hall balcony’ but the rise at home in 2017 was more intense. In 2012, already, we do not win the final in Bercy, we sleep on the return in the bus now, I confuse the holidays a little: I don’t remember when I slept on the terrace! »»
There have been less nice moments: beautiful of lost semi-finals (2015 and 2016), such as the French Cup final in 2018 or that of Cup leaders in 2016, failed because of an injury. “A week before, on a rebound in Toulon, William Howard comes across my knee: cracking of the Tibial plateau, three weeks of stopping. »»
A regret as the maintenance missed of a hair in 2013. “Normally, nobody descends with twelve victories in thirty games and the favorable-aid point! We had started badly then we had recovered super players, especially Alex Acker, the best with whom I played. »»
Large woven links
And good teammates, he had them. Peel-mell, in addition to his friends (Thomas Dubiez, Aurélien Salmon, Jérôme Sanchez ‘), he can quote Amadi McKenzie, Tweety Carter, Frank Hassel, David Jackson, Jarvis Williams’ others less significant in the eyes of supporters, like Marko’ Utalo (2017). “A super guy,” says Arnaud. I often organized barbecues at home and he had arrived with a bouquet of flowers for my wife and a toy for my daughter, class! We are still in contact. »»
So many memories that make the end of the adventure, bitter, leaves a little taste of unfinished. “I arrived in 2010 in a club in the making, ambitious, thanks to Sylvain Lautié whom I saw fifteen days ago. But I never imagined staying eight years. We loved Périgord life. If my parents were not in the north, I would have stayed. When they close their eyes (as late as possible), when my children are big, there is a good chance that I come back ‘”
