Ever since I was a young boy I wanted to play cricket for New Zealand. Cricket was my everything. I lived and breathed it. If I wasn’t playing backyard cricket with my brother, I would be down at the nets bowling bag after bag of balls at targets, or having throw-downs with my Dad. Morning tea and lunch breaks at school comprised of pick-up cricket games with often a shoe for a bat and a tennis ball half covered in tape for maximum swing and difficulty.
A frequent question I am asked, or sometimes find I’m asking myself, is what do I love about the game of cricket? Some days you are either sore, tired, injured, away from home and loved ones, or all of the above! You have to really think hard to find the answer. What I keep coming back to however, is that cricket and playing sport over the years has given me a sense of purpose throughout my life. It has instilled in me qualities that have had a far-reaching effect beyond the cricket pitch. Resilience, patience, work ethic, problem solving and being a part of a team to name a few. These have all helped shape me into the player, and more importantly, the person that I am today.
The number one reason when you drill down to the heart of things however, is enjoyment. The joy of competing and the pursuit of getting better than before, of going beyond self-limiting beliefs. It’s the coming together with a group of other like-minded individuals to achieve a common goal and the exhausted but satisfied feeling after a game, having overcome doubts and embraced the challenge, no matter the results and outcome. That to me, is ‘my love of the game’.
There have been periods in my career when I have been rock bottom and questioned my ability and my playing future. There have been other times that I’ve been incredibly nervous and riddled with doubts and insecurities. However, there has always been a deep desire in me to keep getting better, to prove to myself that I am good enough, to find a way. And so, each time I’ve found myself at a difficult point, I have to ask myself some honest questions, to take time to reflect and reassess ‘my why’ – why I love the game.
My sporting journey, from cricket in the backyard, to playing on the international stage, has constantly been filled with challenges as well as a lot of changes. From dealing with an older brother who cheated in backyard cricket all the time, to going through bodily changes and growth spurts at school and losing coordination. From overcoming injury setbacks and the disappointments of missing out on selection in teams, to going from an opening batsmen at domestic level to an international leg spin bowler. However these have all been valuable lessons to help me along the way and I feel incredibly grateful for the experiences to date and to be living my childhood dream. They have also helped me develop a new-found passion for wanting to give back and help others become the best they can be through mental skills coaching.
