Why education gives me another way to win

Growing up people would be quick to warn me about how tough it was to become a professional footballer and how vital it was that I prepared for my ‘Plan B’ but all I ever wanted to do was try and be my very best at everything I set my mind to. 

From an early age my parents made it abundantly clear to me that education is a privilege which I should treasure and as a result we celebrated my classroom achievements together in exactly the same manner as we did with my sporting endeavours. Success was seen as a sign of my progression rather than the final destination and excellence was attained through hard work, discipline and the sacrifices I was willing to make. 

Learning is a lifelong journey and whether you are someone who treats education as a necessity, or through eyes of curiosity, it’s always wise to remember that the lessons we seek are not always the ones we are taught. In my own quest for knowledge I’ve developed in additional ways which I hadn’t anticipated or planned for so I thought I’d share an experience from my past which shaped me as an individual and helped me to navigate through one of the most difficult periods in my football career.

When I completed my A Levels and signed my first professional contract at Crewe Alexandra the decision to pursue my dream meant I was unable to accept the offer of a place at Manchester University studying Landscape Architecture. At 19, with stars in my eyes and ambition in my heart, it would have been tempting to turn away completely from the traditional education pathway. I’ve known many players who felt anything other than 100% focus on their football would be an unwelcome distraction but I‘m wired differently and finding a way to pursue my passions away from pitch actually helped me to realise my potential on it.

That in mind I carried out my research and that due diligence led to the discovery of a qualification at Reasheath Agriculture College which seemed to fit the bill. The campus actually backed on to Crewe’s training facility so although it was a two year programme, the location, structure and delivery meant it did not disrupt my full-time training schedule.

A HND in Garden Design is probably not a typical qualification you’ll find on an average professional footballers CV but by breaking the shackles of stereotype I was able to stretch myself in a completely different environment. I was the youngest member of the group by some distance and studying two evenings a week certainly presented a new type of challenge but it gave me a release from the intensity of football and a place in which I could channel my creativity.

It was only when disaster struck and I ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament in my left knee that my studies took on a whole new level of significance. The injury was a devastating blow to come to terms with and suddenly I was dealing with the brutal reality of professional sport and understanding just how precarious your actual existence in that world can be. One minute I was establishing myself in the Championship, the next I’m writhing in agony in the gravel at a reserve game at Port Vale. Rehabilitation was a long and painful process but my HND gave me a sense of purpose and in those lonely days in the physio room I drew solace in the fact I was taking positive steps in an another aspect of my life. Suddenly my eggs were not all in one basket. My self confidence grew and I began to realise how shifting my focus did not mean I was any less dedicated to remaining, and once again thriving, as a professional footballer. It might seem strange to some people but those Tuesday and Thursday evenings spent with my pen in hand helped me fight back to fitness as much as the weights that I lifted and the ball at my feet. 

From time to time I still flick through the portfolio that I produced as part of that Garden Design course because it has led to many other qualifications and an ongoing journey that now sees me study on a groundbreaking MBA programme for CEO’s in sport. Still stretching, still striving for more, always giving the competitor that drives me a reason and platform to succeed.

#makeyourmark #education #lifelonglearning #motivationmonday #mondaymotivation win