Southern Vipers and former England all-rounder Georgia Elwiss is encouraging fellow current players to sign up to Futures Conference 2023 having gained valuable learnings last year.
The 32-year-old has recently taken up a role as a PCA Inclusion Champion, delivering the ‘Learn Before Wicket’ EDI educational programme, having picked up useful skills from attending Futures Conference 2022.
PCA members can register their interest today by completing the form at the bottom of the page. The two-day event full of seminars and workshops is the centrepiece of PCA’s Futures Week, that aims to promote and showcase the positive work being done by members to enhance their own personal development and career transitions.
Part of the PCA Personal Development and Welfare Programme, the Futures Conference, is an annual event aimed at supporting members with information, advice and guidance on continued personal development and opportunities available to supplement their playing career and prepare for future employment
In the lead up to this year’s Futures Conference, which takes place between 1 and 2 November at the Loughborough Elite Athlete Centre, the PCA will be providing a platform for  members to tell their stories on their experiences of Futures Week. The Conference allows players to interact with one another as well as building relationships with leading professionals, allowing them to network and grow their skills base.
This week read how Elwiss attended Futures Conference in 2022 at the FA’s elite training centre, St George’s Park. With 54 international appearance’s to her name, the all-rounder who is currently aiming to complete the double with Southern Vipers, shares her story on her perceptions and experiences of the Futures Conference event.
- What were your motivations behind attending Futures Conference?Â
- Elwiss: Getting a little bit older and knowing that I’ve got less time left in the professional game, it’s always important to have one eye on the future and work out what my options are after playing. My Personal Development Manager, Sophie Connor, has been really good at encouraging me to think about what to do next. She told me it’s a brilliant week where lots of people come together and you can meet PCA partners and other players that have transitioned out the game that have had lots of different experiences. It’s something that I’m actively trying to work on because I know the life of an athlete can be quite short, so I thought it was a great thing to get involved in.
- What did you learn from the experience?Â
- Elwiss: The most valuable part was learning and listening to lots of other people’s experiences and working out that life after cricket isn’t that scary. I think it’s given me lots of different options, I like the look of the Personal Development Manager’s role having spent a lot of time with them and realising that it’s an actual career option coming out the game. It’s about gaining the right skills and tools to try and make that transition out of cricket a bit easier, instead of just getting to the end of a contract and thinking what to do next.
- Where are you currently with your personal development?
- Elwiss: I’m very active, I’m doing lots of different things at the moment, I’m just trying to keep my options open, the Inclusion Champion role with the PCA at the moment is very enjoyable and I’m still exploring what courses I can do over the winter that might lean towards a PDM career. I’m meeting lots of people and learning about their experiences and seeing how I can apply those situations to myself so I can grow as a person.
- How are you finding that?
- Elwiss: About 18 months ago I got involved in the PCA EDI Working Group, it’s a passion of mine and I applied for the Inclusion Champion role and got accepted so I’ve been out and about delivering sessions to current squads. I’ve enjoyed the challenge, it takes me out of my comfort zone but the cause of what we’re delivering is so close to my heart. I’m just trying to give back to the game that has given me so much, we just want to keep the game moving forward in a positive way.
- Any advice for those thinking about attending this year’s Futures Conference event?
- Elwiss: I’d say it’s so worthwhile, even if you can only come to one of the two days, the resources that you get at Futures Conference are invaluable and it really makes you think. Personally, I’ve almost done a 360 turn in what I want to do after I finish playing because of attending the Futures Conference. It shows you that your skills as an athlete are transferrable and there are so many options for your career after cricket, people have shown me that life after cricket doesn’t have to be something that you should fear, which is a nice thought.
PCA Futures Conference is open to all past and present players.
Please register your interest by clicking the button below and filling in the form as there are limited places available.
