I’ve always been encouraged to make sure I have a focus outside football. More specifically, to maintain my university studies.

The encouragement has come from my parents and family, as well as the club and the AFLPA, who actually offer a great support to players who are willing to study or follow a trade that could help with their transition to life post-football.

There are currently five players, including myself, who study part-time at the University of NSW. There are also a number of boys who do a Diploma of Business, which is conducted for them here at the Club each week.

It’s no coincidence that when you don’t win on the weekend, it becomes a lot harder to focus on the upcoming lecture or tutorial. However, it is probably at these times throughout the year that you really need that focus outside football to take your mind off what happened on the weekend. If you don’t, then you find yourself stewing over the results and circumstances 24/7, and that can affect the way you go about the next game. On the flip side, you don’t want to be thinking about studies when running out to play or train.

Watching an interview with Brett Kirk a few weeks ago, he talked about not letting external factors affect his mindset going into a game. External factors such as life post-football. It made we wonder whether or not studying was affecting my focus on football.

I came to the conclusion that it is all about balance…trying to find one to two hours a week to set aside for study, which hopefully keeps me switched on, and then outside of that time, putting it aside.

Everyone has a hobby or focus outside football. Some of the players enjoy golf, some poker, and some like cooking. For Kirky, I guess it’s family and children. No matter what it is, everyone has to have that balance. It is an essential part of preparing yourself to play AFL.