PCA PRESS RELEASE
Four Professional Cricketers' Association members have been rewarded for their outstanding efforts away from the field of play by being named PCA Personal Development Scholarship Award winners for 2018.
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Current players Ollie Sale of Somerset and Luke Wells of Sussex were joined by former players Michael Roberts and Joe Gatting in emerging from the field of applicants to win the prestigious award which is now in its sixth year.
Throughout each calendar year a large amount of PCA members take part in a wide range of Personal Development initiatives and the award aims to highlight some of the best examples from across the membership in three categories: Newcomers, Current Players and Past Players.
After going through a written application process, the shortlisted candidates were invited to Edgbaston to present to a panel on their own thoughts and experiences of Personal Development and how it could be more widely encouraged before answering questions on their presentation and their own journeys in the area so far.
The Newcomer Award is aimed at those who are relatively fresh to Personal Development though this year’s winner, Sale, has achieved a huge amount in a short period of time. Alongside graduating last year, with a first class Honours Degree in Business Management from Newcastle University, Sale also co-founded his own business in 2016 helping students source accommodation options online.
The web and mobile based platform ‘Student Bubble’ initially launched in Newcastle but has since branched out into seven other cities with opportunities to continue to grow and diversify moving forward.
“Part of the reason I’ve tried to be so proactive with my personal development in recent years is to provide me with a platform to move forward if cricket doesn’t work out.”
OLLIE SALE
“I’ve had some injuries already in my career and that has opened my mind up to a life beyond the game as I know that I won’t be able to play forever, said the Somerset bowler.
The Current Player Award went to Sussex batsman Wells who is in the process of completing a Degree in History through the Open University and has recently became a father to his first child.
Wells highlighted the discipline required to study remotely while still playing but was also adamant that the change in focus which studying allowed him was having a positive impact on his cricket.
“I’ve had my best seasons since I took up studying again and I hope that that can continue.”
Luke Wells
The Past Players Award was shared between former Hampshire players Michael Roberts and Joe Gatting.
Like Wells, Gatting, who spent the majority of his career at Sussex, is also studying a degree from the Open University in sport, fitness and coaching. The flexibility of his study option is currently allowing him to take a sabbatical from teaching a range of sports to school and communities in Norfolk, to develop his coaching overseas at the Darren Lehmann Cricket Academy in Adelaide.
Roberts, who successfully completed the Barcelona Marathon last year in aid of the PCA Professional Cricketers’ Trust, shared the award with Gatting.
The former Hampshire batsman is currently working at London Irish Rugby Club as a Sports Psychologist having juggled a job in the City with gaining Masters Degrees in both Sport Psychology (from St Mary’s University, Twickenham) and Applied Sports Psychology (from the University of Westminster).
All the winners received a financial award to be put towards the cost of their Personal Development and become PCA Personal Development Ambassadors for 2018.
To find out more about the Personal Development & Welfare programme, click here.
