Hanco Germishuys may have been spending much of his summer on roofs, but that doesn’t mean he’s reached his ceiling. As he waits for a chance to try out with Gloucester, the HS All American and USA U20 flanker is working with his father’s roofing company in Nebraska. It’s hard, and often sun-scorching work, but it’s keeping him balanced for rugby opportunities ahead. The 18-year-old - he turned 18 in late August - needed a waiver to be allowed to play in the Junior World Rugby Trophy, and is young enough that he can play in that tournament three more times. But despite being among the youngest there, he was also one of the best. An athletic, uncompromising loose forward, Germishuys is poised for big things. “Playing in the JWRT was one of the top tours I’ve been on,” said Germishuys. “I felt when I got there tat I could play at that level - I’ve been playing rugby for 12 years, so it doesn’t matter.” Germishuys was born in South Africa, but moved with his sisters to Nebraska with his father Jaco after his parents divorced. Jaco had gone to visit his brother in Nebraska and decided to move there, eventually remarrying. Hanco’s mother actually moved to the Cornhusker State a few years later. Hanco’s younger sister, Laurissa, plays rugby for Wayne State. “She’s really good,” he said with pride. A child, then, of two countries, Germishuys still balances his two heritages. “Playing rugby I guess I thought of myself as South African, because I was bringing all the things I learned playing there,” he said. “I know what the level had to be, so I was always thinking about the South Africa standard, and keeping my level up. But once I got to play for the USA, that was special. I put that jersey on and sang the anthem, and it gives me chills.” This was especially true when Germishuys got to play for the USA team at the Youth Olympics. He had missed out on most of the HS All Americans tour with an ankle injury, and so was itching to play. The experience, he said, was a mixture. “I really enjoyed it,” he said. “The atmosphere was great. To be with all the athletes was amazing. After the rugby part was over we stayed and there were lots of cultural activities and things to have us meet other athletes - we might do something where we on a team with Argentina. It was great. And then when there wasn’t anything else to do all the rugby players would get together to play touch. It was awesome.” But on the field, the USA men’s team finished 5th out of 6, and Germishuys said it was a difficult experience at times. “When things went wrong, we didn’t respond as a team,” he said. “We got down on each other but it was also tough because we had guys get injured and basically after the first game we were down to nine players. It wasn’t until that last game against Japan that we worked as a team. But ith only nine players we were tired.” More time together would have helped bond the players, said Germishuys. But he certainly saw the need for teammates to work together. Now Germishuys has to look at himself. He has an opportunity to perhaps get a pro contract. Coaches such as Salty Thompson and Billy Millard are certainly impressed with him. Maybe Gloucester will be as well. “For now I am just working on getting bigger and stronger,” he said. “I work on lifting, but I think the main thing I work on is my speed.” When he spent a few days at Gloucester he was told he was one of the fastest flankers they’d seen. “But I also know I still have to prove myself.” Hanco Germishuys is our Aircraft Charter Solutions Player of the Week.