BEN SCOTT: LIFE AFTER CRICKET

Ben Scott was in turmoil when he found out that the career he’d worked hard for 13 years to build was being taken away from him. Luckily, he had a back up plan.

Ben had a hugely successful career with Middlesex County Cricket Club and a number of other clubs as a professional cricketer, he says: "With many clubs and organisations under financial pressure and younger players coming into the industry, it’s becoming more cutthroat than ever."

Preparing for an uncertain future, Ben enrolled on a Diploma in Personal Training with Premier Training International three years ago. Although he didn’t put his Diploma to use immediately, it soon became apparent just how valuable it would be. After 13 years in the game with Twenty20 cup medals, Stanford Super Series and an England Lions Tour under his belt, at the end of 2010 he was prematurely released from his contract with Middlesex CCC, he says: "This was difficult to come to terms with, I had been playing cricket all my life and was worried I would find the transition into any other job hard. If I’d not had my Premier Training International qualifications I’d have been at a loss as what to do next."

It didn’t take long for Ben to put his Diploma to use and he set up his own personal training business – ‘Keeping Fit’. Shortly after setting up his business he contacted Premier Training International and enrolled on a Masters Pathway in Sports Performance, he says: "You can never anticipate where life will take you, I found myself developing as a person after coming to terms with my change in career. I set up my own website and started to follow up on contacts I had made during my time in sport.

"Soon after I was offered a job as Strength and Conditioning Coach for a cricket academy in Surrey, this was not only down to the strength of my cricket profile but also my Premier Training International qualifications and my affiliation with REPS. This experience was invaluable and got me thinking about combining my cricket experience with my Premier Training International qualifications. I have now started offering cricket clubs my training programmes combining training from my career with Middlesex, Surrey, Worcester and England and my learning."

With his newfound confidence Ben reproached Middlesex with a new angle to take on extra roles at the club as not only a player but assistant fitness coach and fielding coach. The club agreed to these terms and were happy to have him back on board. He is now running strength and conditioning at In Touch Cricket and a number of surrounding cricket clubs and working with clients as a personal trainer as well as training and preparing for the new season.

He says: "Premier Training International and its staff have been extremely supportive over the years and helped me fit my learning around cricket. This experience has given me a new outlook on life and helped me see that there is a future after cricket."