The PCA Personal Development Scholarship - 10/01/13

The Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) has launched an initiative to find the most proactive member, past or present, on or off the pitch, throughout the coming calendar year.

This follows the recent announcement of having spent over £1m on membership educational grants over the last decade.

The initiative seeks to incentivise past members who have moved on to new career pathways, as well as encouraging current cricketers to think and plan away from the pitch when time allows, especially during winter months.

The PCA employ six Personal Development Managers (PDMs) who work across the eighteen county clubs, in a programme with two main aims: 

• Improving the performance of cricketers by minimising the potential distractions during their playing career.

• Helping cricketers prepare for life after cricket.

In 2012, the PDM's created a Personal Development Plan (PDP) for every professional cricketer, many including Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which seeks to help individuals understand themselves in greater detail.

There is substantial evidence to demonstrate that working and planning towards new opportunities off the pitch can enhance performance on the pitch.

Jason Ratcliffe,the PCA’s Assistant CEO, commented, “There's evidence to show how cricketers, like other sports men and women face testing times, especially in the first 5 years after hanging up their professional boots, with the threat of identity loss and a downward spiral in their self-esteem.”

The programme aims to create all-round confident people, who can excel at their sport whilst simultaneously preparing for their next career, and ensures a 'soft landing' when it all ends.

Ian Thomas, National Personal Development Manager, said, “This is such an exciting new initiative. There’s been a lot of progress in continued personal development recently – having an element written into ECB/PCA standard contracts last year was a step in the right direction and this should prove another compelling reason for players to be proactive about their futures”

The winner will take home £3,000 or the equivalent for personal development course funding, or resources of their choice, or be used to reimburse costs already incurred. Two runners up with receive £1,000 each or the equivalent in course funding, or reimbursement.

Successful candidates will be invited to give a presentation to a panel of PCA personnel, who will judge the candidates on the following criteria:

• Development course/s undertaken and qualifications attained

• Cricketing development (where relevant)

• Work placement/s undertaken

• Community work undertaken

• Willingness to embrace charitable initiatives

• How they would use the additional scholarship award

The initiative is open to all PCA members and will conclude in January 2014, with the winner being announced in February 2014. Nominations/applications should be sent to Ian Thomas ithomas@thepca.co.uk by 30 November 2013, with details about their year of development in as much depth as possible.

For more information, please email Jason Ratcliffe jratcliffe@thepca.co.uk or call 07768 558050, or call Ian Thomas 07920 575578.

-ENDS-