Daryl Mitchell is the NZ Black Cap who deserves every single bit of success he gets! From battling away in the NZ domestic league to becoming one of the best all rounders in the world he has had a unique pathway to becoming a professional athlete with a mindset we can all learn from.

Some key parts of this chat were..

-Hearing how growing up with his dad John Mitchell who was an All Black coach and coached all around the world and the moves they made as a family.

-Mitchell talks about his love for all sports, his journey in cricket, and the challenges of juggling different formats of the game.

-He also shares insights into his mental preparation and the importance of being present in the game.

-He also spoke about his experience playing in the IPL, the pressure of performing, and the incredible atmosphere in India.

-He also discusses his plans for the future and the challenges of being away from home for long periods of time.

-Daryl emphasizes the importance of staying true to oneself and focusing on what one can control.

As you'll hear in this one, Daryl is such a humble man who has achieved so many great things in the game of cricket. I loved hearing about his mindset and there is plenty of awesome advice in this one. If you enjoy the episode please give it a share and let me know what stands out for you in the comments.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background of Darrell Mitchell

02:06 Growing Up with an All Black Coach Father and Moving to Different Places

06:32 Early Love for Sports and Playing Rugby and Cricket

11:08 Cricket Journey in the UK and Australia

16:07 Joining Northern Districts and Transitioning to Canterbury

20:32 The Importance of Mindset in Cricket

25:10 Technical and Mental Aspects of Batting

28:37 Transitioning Between T20 and Test Cricket

32:54 Experiences in the IPL Auction

35:50 Being Part of the IPL and Playing for CSK

38:29 The Atmosphere in India 41:06 Passion for Cricket

45:43 Future Plans

49:40 Focus on How You Play

51:30 Team First Mentality

01:06:52 Concentration Techniques

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Joel Everson with potentially the craziest story ever on What a Lad! This episode will blow your mind and I’m sure it will also inspire you and I’m sure it will help many.

Joel Everson is the 2:06m lock who had a 12 year rugby career playing for Canterbury, Southland, the Crusaders, Clermont and Hino in Japan. It was his time in Hino where his life was flipped upside down, coming out of a night club in Tokyo, surrounded by Police to then being locked away in a Japanese prison for 23 days.

There’s soo much in this one and some keys that stood out…

The challenges he faced after his rugby career transitioning into a normal life and finding his passion.

He talks about his upbringing, the impact of his parents' divorce, and how rugby became his escape.

How different his life could’ve been had he not found rugby and went down the troubled path he was heading.

Joel discusses his time in the Crusaders Academy, his pathway into Canterbury and the Crusader and his move to Japan.

He reflects on the moments leading up to his arrest, his time in the holding cell, and the challenges he faced mentally and emotionally.

Joel discusses the support he received from his family and friends, the impact on his rugby career, and the lessons he learned from the experience.

He emphasises the importance of self-care, seeking help, and being aware of one's thoughts and mental health.

And heaps more!

As you’ll hear the fact that Joel was open to coming on and sharing his story so openly in the chance it may help someone in a similar position just goes to show you what a champion lad he is,I know you will enjoy this episode so when you do please give it a share

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Bryn Hall has not only been one of the best 9's in NZ rugby for the last decade but he's also been the voice of the game for many with his gift to articulate rugby union in a way to relate to the masses on the Aoteroa Rugby Pod and in Commentary.

What stood out in this episode for me, was just how dedicated Bryn was to achieving the dream of being a professional rugby player from a young age. Then once he was in there, it was his drive to compete and always grow his game, trying to take on as much information as he can. He also talks about his battles with overthinking the game and fighting for the Crusaders no9 jersey for a good 6 years with good mate Mitchell Drummond.

As you'll hear in this one Bryn is such an easy guy to listen to, speaks really well with a great balance of humour and insightful information. He is a true lad and I know you will enjoy this one! If you do please give it a share 🙌

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Shiray Kaka is the NZ Black Ferns 7s star who is also one of the biggest personalities in the game! Her bubbly energy combined with a unique ability to be real and share her feelings, made her a dream guest for this. Her journey through professional rugby hasn't been an easy one and this episode reflects that with plenty of laughs, a few tears and plenty a relatable advice.

Some topics we cover in this episode are...

• The disappointment of her latest injury taking away her Olympic dream
• How she went from a naturally talented player to become an Olympic Gold medalist
• The beauty and challenges of her relationship with Gillies Kaka
• How hard her injuries have been on her mentally and how she got through those challenges
• The challenges professional female athletes face
• The importance of mental health and self-care in the world of sports
• And plenty of great advice!

As you'll hear, Shiray is such a likeable character who tells it exactly how it is. This episode will give you as good of an insight into the challenges and pressures professional athletes face

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Timoci Tavatavanawi is the Fijian powerhouse who has quickly become the most destructive ball carrier in Rugby. The man is an absolute nightmare to tackle with his combination of power and leg drive and just the physique which is has hard as rock. I

t was awesome to get the man they call Jim on the share his journey from growing up in a Fijian village to playing for Tasman Mako, Moana Pacifica and the Highlanders. He talks about the importance of family and the Fijian community support and how important it is to give back to the community. Jim also talks about a range of topics including his key to bulking, his mother's surprise visit, to watch him play, why he hasn't played for Fiji yet, the role of religion in his life, and his future goals.

I'm so glad to be able to get Jim on What a Lad, he's a great character of our game who has an inspiring story and I hope this episode inspires many especially young Fijians out there to chase their dreams. If you enjoy this episode, please share the episode anyway you can, that'll help me continue to bring you awesome guests like this.

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Jamie Hannah is one of the most impressive young players in our game, you don't often see forwards with the skillset and game awareness that this kid has as well as the engine and toughness to boot. He is one very impressive player.

He is also a massive lad as well, growing up in North Canterbury living the good life on the farm riding motorbikes and playing footy. Some key points in this episode were..

• His journey from playing in the academy to making his mark in professional rugby.
• The challenges of maintaining weight and strength.
• The valuable lessons he learned from experienced players like Sam Whitelock.
• The importance of playing freely
• His journey to becoming a Crusader, and his aspirations to play for the All Blacks.
• The importance of skill development, overcoming challenges, and maintaining a positive mindset
• And heaps more.

This episode will be one we can all watch back in 10 years time and see how cool it was to hear the future star of our game talking about his journey but for now it's an awesome insight into the journey of a very talented lad. If you enjoy this episode please give it a share so I can continue to bring you these episodes.

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Cam Roigard is one of the most exciting talents in the game right now. In the last couple of years he has made every post a winner, rapidly climbing through the ranks after starring for Counties Manakau, carving up Super Rugby with the Hurricanes before heading of to the RWC with the All Blacks. It was here on the world stage where we all got to see the huge talent that this young man possesses and has got plenty excited about where he can get to.

The beauty of this story is that Cam wasn't the star growing up. He didn't make the rep teams and at just 17 years old he was told that he had peaked. His incredible work ethic combined with his love for the game and competitive nature meant he did everything he could to achieve his dream and did he what!

As you'll hear Cam is a champion lad, someone who just loves the game and wants to push himself as far as he can and it's exciting to think where he could potentially end up. If you enjoy this episode please let me know in the comments and please give it a share so that I can have more awesome guests like Cam come on.

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Norm Maxwell was pound for pound the hardest hitter this game has probably ever seen. At just 90kgs the All Black lock through himself into collisions like no other every time he stepped on the field. However you tell Norm that he's tough and he's not buying it.

From growing up with feeling the field was the only place he was free and his first big collision being the first time he felt respected, Norm always was going to play rugby. His Crusaders contract came quicker than he'd ever thought and something that was was far from ready for. Throughout his career his battled with injuries and a sore body which took it's toll and forced him to change his identity as a player and a person.

It's clear after this episode that players weren't prepared for professional rugby at the time and you can hear the struggles that Norm had to face not just physically but mentally and psychologically as well.

This is one of my all time favourite episodes Norm is a story teller who is so open and honest and I know you'll enjoy this one! If you do can you please do me a favour and share and subscribe so I can keep bringing you more legends like the great Norm Maxwell.

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