THE CROOKS ARE BUSY
This winter Northant's cricketing brothers Steve and Andy Crook have kept themselves busy by working in roles within the club. Steve has found himself working as the clubs indoor school manager, looking after the daily running and organisation of the facility and Andy has been working hard for the clubs marketing department and also putting together a daily updated club web site. Performance Lifestyle Adviser, Ian Thomas, caught up with them recently to talk through their experience of doing something away from playing this winter......
IT: This winter you have both found your self working in different roles within Northant's County cricket Club, How have these opportunities come about? What attracted you to taking on the role?
SC: The opportunity came up mid way through the season, the guy who was in the role left the club and the position became available. I thought it would be a great opportunity to bring my experience as a professional cricketer to offer a different perspective to the way the coaching and the shop were run. I felt I could make a positive impact and help develop the relationship between Northants Cricket and local county schools and clubs.
AC: For me, when I heard our marketing executive was leaving, I straightaway thought that is was something I really wanted to do. I noticed there were a few things that needed taking care of on the marketing and communication front, and I thought I had the skills necessary to help out. I was unsure if I would be signed on again so I put together a proposal and sat down with the CEO. He was very receptive and very keen for me to come on board. I have always had a very keen interest in business, sports clubs in particular and I thought it was just the ideal opportunity to get my foot in the door
IT: How have you found the time so far working in these positions, have there been any shocks to the system?
SC: Yeah, quite a few really. I have never had a job outside of cricket before, so working from 9-5 came as a bit of shock. Normally at this time, I'm in bed or playing guitar for most of the day. This has given me a fantastic opportunity to gain a lot experience dealing with customers and interacting with people in the office and seeing a different side to the club I would never normally see.
AC: So far everything has been really good. Office politics is something that going into the role you don't often think about, but I think it is about managing this. I thought working 9-5 would be mentally very hard, but I have found that I am so busy that it just flies by.
IT: How have your team mate's attitudes been towards you working at these clubs.
SC: They have been very good. Everyone has offered their advice and given their input into how they think the setup could be improved and it has helped a lot. The guys have knowledge and experience that differs to mine so it's been good to get their opinions on a few things. There has been the odd joke here and there, but overall they have been very supportive. I have also been well supported by the coaching staff here, working along side these guys in a different role has been a great experience.
AC: My teammates have been really good about it. I think many of them recognised there needed to be a few changes, and most of them have come up with some good ideas for me to try out. In the end, anything I do benefits the club and ultimately the players so I hope they continue to help out, which I am sure they will!
IT: You have both spent times during your career talking to the Performance lifestyle advisors, has this helped?
SC: Speaking to the advisors has been great for me, not only helping me with what I might do after I finish playing, but just for someone to chat to about stuff that I am thinking about both on and off the field. When I got injured mid season, I sat down with Thomo and discussed possibilities for the future. When this opportunity came up, he really helped to prepare me in the best way possible for the role by finding courses and training days that would really assist me. He has been a great help for me.
AC: In terms of working out what works best for my cricket, it definitely helped. I worked a lot with David Priestly when I was at Lancashire and working with him helped me realise what I was good at and what I was not so good at. It is no coincidence that most of what I used to chat to him about in our early meetings is starting to happen. Just having an independent sounding board when talking about what you really want helps enormously
IT: Will this experience help your cricket in any way?
SC: I'm sure it will, I am doing a lot of coaching at the moment which will help me understand my game in a better way. I am currently doing my Level 2 course to help further my knowledge of coaching. I've had opportunities to visit bat factories, so even little things like understanding the way bats are made and the different qualities of wood all add to my experience. I think I can also appreciate how lucky I am to be able play cricket for a living, it is very much a privilege.
AC: It will definitely help my cricket, and it already has. I finished the season well after I had started planning and thinking about my new role as it took my mind completely away from cricket. If I think about my game away from the crease, it's often to my detriment. Having something else running alongside cricket is the way I was brought up so I feel much more comfortable knowing there is always a fall back position.
IT: What would be the feedback you would give to fellow cricketers towards what you have been doing this winter?
SC: I would say that they should go for it. If you give something a chance, whether it goes well or not, its experience which will help once you leave the game for good. It's been fantastic for me so far, and I hope it continues to be. It has given me a different perspective on life and things other than just cricket. I have met a lot of new people and developed friendships with those I would never have normally dealt with. I was a bit nervous about how things might go, but I've settled in and I'm really enjoying my work.
AC: Each person is different I think. Some people naturally switch off away from the game, and some thrive on thinking about it 24/7. I would say to anyone, do what is best for you, whatever it is. If you have an interest outside of the game, don't be afraid to follow it up and learn more about it. You will probably find it will help your cricket and put your mind at rest about your future possibilities.
IT: And finally any further thoughts to add?
AC: I have struggled for years to come to grips with playing professional cricket. I desperately want to play, but have felt that I have always looked over my shoulder and thought about the wrong things because of job insecurities. By working and doing something I enjoy alongside of cricket, I think it will help over come this. It will mean playing cricket for fun rather than treating it as a job.
IT: Many thanks to both of you for your thoughts and insights. Keep up the good work and best of luck for next season with Northants.
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