PCA PRESS RELEASE
Two-day conference returns as part of PCA Transition Week.
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Following on from the success of the inaugural PCA Transition Conference, the two-day event returns this week at the core of ‘PCA Transition Week’ and will be held at St. George’s Park on November 7 & 8.
The Football Association’s national football centre will play host to current, recently retired, released and former cricketers, allowing them to engage and seek opportunities for a further career through activities and presentations at the conference.
The average age a professional cricketers career ends is just 26 so therefore helping players transition into a second career is a key element of the PCA Personal Development and Welfare Programme.
Once players become PCA members, they are members for life and through the PCA’s six-strong team of Personal Development and Welfare Managers (PDMs), players receive support in preparation for a career after cricket and the conference, now in its second year, supplements the work of the PDMs.
Since 2012, the PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Managers have guided 199 players into a varied range of second careers. In that time 28% of players have moved into cricket coaching with physiotherapy, professional golf, umpiring, financial services, the oil industry, sports management and jobs with the England and Wales Cricket Board among the 44 different occupations.
Former Surrey bowler Tim Linley opened up his own coffee shop in Leeds earlier this year after undertaking barista and financial accounting courses through the assistance of the PCA. The Yorkshire-born cricketer was also a 2016 PCA Personal Development Scholarship award winner and described the PCA as “fundamental” to the success of his transition.
“I can safely say, if it hadn’t been for the support of the PCA, I don’t think I’d have been able to manage what I’ve been able to do,” said Linley.
“Transitioning out of the game is never easy and the PCA kind of take away the anxiety when finishing your playing career.”
Over the last six years, 57 former players have transitioned into a coaching role, with former Surrey and England batsman Mark Ramprakash now the batting coach for England. Having already made what seemed like a seamless transition, ‘Ramps’ has called on the PCA to upskill his IT skills to further enhance his coaching career.
“At the ripe old age of 49, I’m trying to learn a few new IT skills that are relevant to my everyday job as a cricket coach,” Ramprakash added.
“The PCA are always very accessible and very open minded and finally due to the help of the PCA I’ve managed to begin the process.”
Presenters and guests at this year’s PCA Transition Conference will include former Northamptonshire batsman David Paynter, former Essex, Yorkshire and Northamptonshire all-rounder and now umpire James Middlebrook, former England international Jeremy Snape and former Nottinghamshire and Surrey batsman Darren Bicknell who will discuss their transition from playing into a second career inside or outside of cricket.
After the Transition Conference in 2017, PCA Director of Development and Welfare, Ian Thomas, believes the event now sits as an integral part of the Personal Development and Welfare Programme.
“The PCA Personal Development and Welfare team continue to provide opportunities and to assist players with their transitions in a variety of ways, and this powerful conference really helps players who attend. The transition process can take time and the PDM’s make regular contact in those first two years after leaving the game,” said Thomas.
“This conference ensures that we continue to help players transition out of the game and we’re hoping after the success of last year, cricketers will see this two-day conference as a real positive way of being engaged and can benefit from the discussions and presentations that go on.
“We have a large amount of past players involved who want to help other players in sharing their journeys and I think that’s key to the success of what we’re trying to achieve.”
For more information on the PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme click here.
Keep up-to-date with the week’s activities by following the #PCATransitionWeek hashtag on all social media accounts.
