Why a little old high school project could provide much-needed perspective to NRL players

Five years ago I pitched an idea to the chair of a Sydney-based NRL club designed to generate perspective among NRL players and provide them them with something meaningful to be involved with away from the game.

The idea had been nurtured through watching mostly immature men perform dopey act after dopey act and wondering whether very well paid and time rich young NRL players were living in harmful bubbles.

Based on the endless stream of unsavory and silly moments that continued to occur, it seemed to me those bubbles were allowing them to operate in a world with less of the responsibilities that most of us feel each day.

I made a casual appointment with the chair and we began by speaking openly about some of the poor behaviours that were still exhibiting and the chair desperately asked, “I’ve tried everything, how do I get them to understand and grow?”

No doubt this was not the only club official to have the same thought over the years.

We have seen NRL players drive without licenses, allow alcohol to influence very poor moral decisions, become involved in toilet trysts, sex tapes and foolishly allow themselves to be caught consuming banned substances on smart phones.

Of course, some incidents are little more than comical, yet the more serious should always be though of in that way. The pattern that emerges is consistent and very silly behaviour from young wealthy men with plenty of cash at hand and perhaps little else in their lives to fill time other than training and fitness.

I would argue rugby league players need more in their lives to create a better balance and subsequently treat the world around them in a more respectful and responsible manner.

The NRL machine is enjoying a sustained period of profitability and exposure, yet the game should be doing far more when it comes to player welfare and helping to build better young men as they tackle the stresses and challenges of being a professional athlete.

Ironically, during my conversion with the chair, they received a phone call from the club informing them that a sex tape involving a first grade player had just been released on social media and was about to become newsworthy.

I pitched my idea of a PIP or personal interest project. Anyone with a child that has studied society and culture in the NSW Higher School Certificate would be aware of the acronym and yes, I’ve pinched it.

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Essentially, all 30 members of an NRL squad would be asked to think about something artistic or creative that they would like to take on during the season. It could be something as simply as starting a vegetable gardening, learning a new musical instrument or how to paint, draw, knit or sew.

Players might prefer to take cooking classes, formally learn how to dance or start writing and/or journaling for pleasure.

Binging a series of novels would attract others, whilst some might have a more specific interest such as finance, business or management and be willing to plunge themselves into reading books exploring an area they may wish to enter when their playing days are past.

A rather large presentation board would be set up with each of the player’s PIP displayed and plenty of chatter around who was doing what would no doubt take place. Every now and then in an attempt to break from the relentless pursuit of rugby league excellence, players would be asked to provide an update on how they were progressing.

I’m sure there will be a few seriously doubting the validity of such a proposal yet having been around professional athletes for much of my life in different capacities, I’ve seen the concept work in various forms.

The mere pleasure of prioritising one’s own hobby or interest is oft difficult in the modern world, as is finding the time to explore it and subsequently achieve a better balance in life.

Mindfulness is the buzzword and history tells us that there are plenty of NRL players living a life devoid of it, as they become caught up in a professional world of pressure, expectation and performance.

There is no doubt that the birth of children changes many NRL players. Seeing tiny hands and feet can turn a colossus into a buttercup in seconds, yet few NRL stars are dads at age 20.

That is perhaps the most important stage of their career for them to be guided and mentored and allowed to have simple joys outside the game, to fill the time they have when training sessions end and the day’s work is done.

Sharing photos and stories of what is going on with them off the pitch would be a wonderful thing for the individual as well as the group.

Whilst the Rugby League Players Association would have immediate concerns about such a program and any potential increase in workload or demands from the employer, I’d argue the historical rap sheet suggests something does need to be done to help many NRL players grow up a little faster.

There are plenty of great men in the NRL and others who need help in escaping the cocoon built around them. A personal interest project is one way to foster growth and allow young professionals to appreciate the wider world that can sometimes be lost in the hustle and bustle of professional rugby league.