PCA offer prize for off-field initiative

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

The Professional Cricketer’s Association has launched a new award to find the most proactive player, past or present, off the pitch. A £3,000 prize or the equivalent for personal development course funding is being put up as the players’ union continues to encourage players to expand their horizons beyond cricket.

This new initiative follows the recent announcement that the PCA has spent more than £1m on membership educational grants over the last decade. The initiative seeks to incentivise past members who have moved onto new career pathways and current cricketers to plan away from cricket especially during the winter months.

“There's also evidence to show how cricketers, like other sports men and women face testing times, especially in the first five years after hanging up their professional boots, with the real threat of identity loss and downward spiralling self-esteem.,” said Jason Ratcliffe, the PCA assistant chief executive.

The PCA employs six Personal Development Managers  who work across the 18 first-class counties in a programme which is aimed at improving the performance of cricketers through minimising the distractions during their playing career and preparing them for life after cricket.

“This is such an exciting new initiative. There’s been a lot of progress in the area of 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,” said former Glamorgan batsman Ian Thomas, who now works as one of the PDMs.

Successful candidates will present to a PCA judging panel.


Date: 16/01/2013 07:00:00 by Paul Bolton
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