Student and All Blacks captain coping well with studies

University of Canterbury student and All Blacks captain coping well with studies

May 16, 2014

Crusaders and All Blacks captain Kieran Read says he is coping well with a full-on rugby career and helping look after two young daughters while also studying for a University of Canterbury sports coaching degree.

Read has been recovering from concussion received a month ago which has made him think at times about life after his playing career and a likely move into rugby coaching.

``It’s great being able to do this degree at the University of Canterbury, through the School of Sport and Physical Education. It’s a fantastic place to learn and after the earthquakes it seems they are really progressing things across campus.

``Being a university student in Christchurch is an exciting place to be right now. As my kids grow up I’ll instil in them that they will get a lot out of life with good education.

``I won’t graduate for another year or so as rugby continues to take up a lot of my time. But I manage to study and do a lot of my work when on tour with the Crusaders or the All Blacks. I actually have more time then.’’

Read says University of Canterbury students will graduate with a rich well-rounded profile because of the earthquakes and what Christchurch has gone through.

``For me, I’ve learned a lot. Even now I get a real kick out of going into Christchurch schools and coaching young kids. It’s all about leadership. I enjoy it.’’

Read’s supervisor, Glenn Fyall, the Acting Head of the School of Sport and Physical Education, says a big part of the university’s sport coaching programme involves delivering content to student groups.

``One of Kieran’s recent assessments involved a presentation to second year students on selected concepts of leadership as it related to the All Black context. He was superb. He will be delivering this again to year two students in the next semester.

``Kieran began studying the Bachelor of Sport Coaching at the University of Canterbury in 2005 and completed two years of the three degree but as his professional career gathered momentum and the demands became greater he deferred his studies and put his efforts into his rugby.

``In recent years we have implemented flexible on-line learning that enables students like Kieran to achieve the qualification from anywhere in the world.

``I have worked with Kieran to see what suits his needs and allow him to continue and complete his sport coaching degree. We have worked with Kieran using our on-line course website, phone conversations, emails and texts. Many of the distance courses have videoed lectures that students can view wherever and whenever they want.

``With a busy family life, rugby and travel, Kieran suggests that his hotel room and the ‘down time’ when travelling are times that he devotes to study. Kieran’s response, given his hectic schedule, has been fantastic and he has recently navigated his way through a course in sport coaching and leadership with a very good grade.”

Waratahs and former Crusaders rugby coach Daryl Gibson says his own University of Canterbury masters degree has really helped him in his sports coaching career, and Read is likely to follow suit.

Former Wallabies and Crusaders coach Robbie Deans says Read was always ahead of the game.

``It was evident from the outset that the way he prepared made success an inevitability. Likewise in life he is applying the same philosophy to ensure his future is taken care of.

``With a degree from the University of Canterbury, Kieran will be well placed to take advantage of the many opportunities available in the Canterbury region and beyond.’’

ENDS

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