Giving up career in accounting to become professional footballer – Curtez Kellman tells his story

– urges teenagers to create a balanced path for football and academics

What was supposed to be a career in accounting turned out to be a career in professional football for 27-year-old Curtez Kellman, who is presently a member of both the Slingerz FC and Guyana’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars.

“I wanted to get into the accounting field, but the love of football popped out of nowhere; and from then on, I knew I had to focus on what I loved the most, and that is definitely football,” Kellman told Guyana Times Sport in an interview.

Kellman, who plays in both defense and midfield positions and has represented Guyana at the Gold Cup Preliminaries, Concacaf Nations League A and B, and World Cup Qualifiers, among other international friendlies, has said he has no intention of ceasing to play football anytime soon.
This young man, who has attended several schools both in Guyana and in the United States of America, started playing football with the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) when he was 14 years.
He went on to play for the Grenades FC in Antigua in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) tournament and was later signed with Western Tigers in Guyana.

While being a member of the Western Tigers, he migrated to the USA after securing a full scholarship at the Eastern Florida State College to pursue studies in Business Administration with a specialization in Entrepreneurship, as well as to develop his football skills. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the college was forced to drop football from its curriculum, due to financial constraints.
This saw Kellman taking a transfer to the Daytona State College, where he continued his studies as well as focused on his football career.
In 2021, he returned to Guyana and continued his stint with Western Tigers, but one year later, he joined the Sporting Kansas City FC. Then, in 2023, he returned to his homeland and again played with the Western Tigers, up until 2024, when he joined the Slingerz FC. He remains as a critical player for that team.
While in college overseas, he was named ‘All American’ twice: once in 2020 and once in 2021, and was also named the Midfielder of the Year in 2021. In 2022, he was instrumental in taking his team, Slingerz FC, to victory in the ‘One Guyana’ Football Tournament.

The Pisces-born football star has both international and local role models to whom he looks up for inspiration, and in some cases guidance.
“Locally, I always tried to emulate Vurlon Mills; not only on the field, but also his lifestyle off the pitch. His discipline and respect for the game are above par… Internationally, Sergio Busquets is a player I admire a lot on the pitch. He never loses the ball, dictates the tempo of the game, and is very dedicated,” Kellman related.
Curtez Kellman is a former student of Chase’s Academic Foundation. He hails from East Ruimveldt Housing Scheme in Georgetown, and is on a mission to take up the mantle from where his father, grandfather and uncles – all former footballers – have left off.
“Football runs in my family. My father played for a short time during his early years. My grandfather, on the other hand, was the first FIFA referee in Guyana, and I also have a few uncles who played as well…So, I can safely say that I am continuing from where they left off,” he disclosed.
He added that choosing football wasn’t an easy decision, as was also fond of playing cricket.
“In school, whenever there’s football playing, I was playing cricket, a sport that I was also good at. But one day I had to choose between the two, and most naturally, after deep consideration, I chose football; and from there on, it was no turning back,” he explained.
His first competitive match was in the U17 tournament when he played for the GFC. While he couldn’t remember against which team, he recalled starting the game as a striker and then a winger. Today he is versed in multiple positions, and plays wherever the coach sees it fit for him to play on any given day, depending on their challenge or condition.
During his 13-year run, he has played competitive football against the national teams of countless countries, among which are Panama, Cape Verde, Puerto Rico, Guatemala and Suriname. He has also played against some very strong teams, such as Houston Dynamo, Minnesota FC, and Real Salt Lake, and the experience he has garnered is unmeasurable.
Even though he played many important games for his team and native country, two stood out for him – one was at home and one away game against the Puerto Rico national team.
“On pen and paper, everyone knows that Puerto Rico had the better team. But on the pitch, we played as a team, and along with Coach Jamaal Shabazz tactics, we executed well and won both games 3-1. That set the tone for us in the group that led to us qualifying for League A in the Concacaf Nations League.”
He noted that in games such as these, players understand that there is no “I” in TEAM. With team effort and hard work, he stated, a team is bound to have success.
“When you play as a team, the work becomes easier on the pitch…We understand each other, and once we know the plan, we execute. Consistency plays a major role…how we keep ourselves fit physically, which enhances our performance on the pitch; and naturally, consistency falls into place,” he detailed.
“And yes, before every game, I know I am – and so are our team members – always nervous. but I always think about what my teammates would say if I make a mistake on the field, and I would take deep breaths and focus more on being optimistic. That helps me to feel a bit more relaxed and ready for battle,” the young man stated.
Nevertheless, the skills and technique to play game after game did not come on a silver platter for the versatile footballer, but rather it involves dedication and lots of training, even if it meant giving up things he loves doing.
“When I receive my weekly training schedule, I would usually put other important activities before or after the training times…whether I practice in the morning or afternoon; so, it’s an easy balance for me. Sometimes some stuff would clash, but training obviously takes priority,” he detailed.
For him, being humble, self-motivated, confident, dedicated, and most of all being disciplined, has led to his success thus far. He remains willing to learn because he knows that, in the long run, it would help in his game strategy and ultimately his team’s success.
Kellman, now a national player, has acknowledged the input of Vurlon Mills and Faizal Khan in his football career, but has also commended the work of Slingerz FC coach Jamaal Shabazz, who continues to invest his time in making the club one of the most professional ones around.
“He has helped us not to just win games and accomplish our goal, but also to build our understanding tactically and help improve… individually,” he explained.
With the teaching and knowledge he has grasped over the years, Kellman has an eye on coaching in the near future.
“The GFC had a programme called the Junior Jags, and I was able to share my knowledge and help a few players who went on to represent Guyana. I’m always open to share my knowledge and help other players in any area they need help with, not just on the field, but off as well,” he disclosed.
Asked about his biggest rivals in football, he grinned and stated, “It has to be the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) team.” At the same time, he added that despite the challenges and the high-quality players they often compete against, representing his team, and more so Guyana, has always been an honour.
“It’s always an honour to represent my country…fighting for the badge and also our supporters. I must say we are improving as a nation and competing with some of the big teams in Concacaf. I want to urge all Guyanese to continue supporting us. We need that support.”
As he continues his football journey, Kellman wants to continue competing at the highest level, but more so, he wants to impart his knowledge to the younger players.
“Being able to do that at my age, that would be a great feeling,” he declared.
On this note, he feels that the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) should organize outreaches in various communities to get the youths more involved in the game which would undoubtedly lead to them appreciating the sport and wanting to participate at some point in time.
At the same time, he is urging young players, especially the teenagers, to create a path where they have a balance for the sport and academics.
“Football is great, but everyone’s path is different… an injury can mess up someone’s career; and if that’s the case, by just creating that balance could help them to fall back on whatever they were hoping to accomplish academically,” he explained.
Apart from football, Kellman visits the gym quite regularly, hosts movie nights as a form of relaxation, and hangs out with his relatives and friends. His favourite colour is blue, but he also wears mostly black clothing and loves the sitcom “All About the Benjamins.”
In regard to the future of Curtez Kellman, fans might definitely be hearing wedding bells soon, as this young versatile footballer is already taken.