James Holbeck has joined the Classic Wallabies as Career and Pathways Manager, a role designed to help players transition to life after Rugby.
The role, jointly funded by Rugby Australia and the Classic Wallabies will provide specific support for players transitioning from their professional Rugby careers into the next steps in their professional life off the field.
The role will also have a strong pastoral care involvement with a focus on players who are experiencing stress associated with transition into the next phase of their lives.
A seven Test-capped Wallaby, Holbeck has completed a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons) and is completing a Masters Degree in Family Studies, specialising in Fatherhood.
Rugby Australia Chief Executive, Raelene Castle said: “It’s fantastic to have James on board the Classic Wallabies program to provide a real focus on welfare, life after football and strengthening the community of our former players.
“It’s important that James has been there, and knows what it takes as a professional athlete to balance your Rugby career and your preparation for life after football.
“The combination of his experience as a Wallaby and his professional credentials gives him such credibility when he is talking to young players.”
Holbeck said: “The role has come from a position of people identifying a need for it, and some of the greater awareness we’ve discovered in this area in recent years.
“We are in the stage where a lot of guys go straight into their Rugby careers from school and have never had a chance to live a life that can be pretty boring, that day to day grind, as opposed to travelling around to different countries with your mates playing professional football.
“It’s a great time to be involved in mental health education, from the perspective that men are a lot more willing to seek help than they have been previously, but on the flip side it means that the need to seek help is increasing at the same time.
“Something that I am acutely aware of is that I won’t be doing this on my own; I will be very much helped by the people that love the game and are willing to invest in these players.”
Classic Wallabies Manager, Stephen Hoiles said: “What we’re pleased with is that Rugby Australia and the Classics are working together in a role that is really important for players. When you factor this in with all the work that RUPA does and I think it’s a really good thing.
“Transition is a really popular word at the moment, it’s not an easy thing to do as something you loved as kid to something you have to stop at some stage. It’s a pretty important role and James is the right man for it.”
