Gale recruits ex-soldier to inspire Yorkshire cricketers (From Gazette & Herald)

Gale recruits ex-soldier to inspire Yorkshire cricketers

10:57am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in Sport By Graham Hardcastle

Martin Hewitt is a name not widely associated with cricket – yet he has been helping Yorkshire in the build-up to the new county season, which is a little over two months away.

Hewitt is a former soldier turned pro skier-cum-adventure athlete who was invited down to Headingley before Christmas to speak to Andrew Gale’s men on the mental side of sport.

Hewitt, 31, has a fascinating story to tell, and one which will hopefully inspire the White Rose squad to bigger and better things.

Born in the Cheshire town of Widnes, Hewitt was shot through the shoulder and foot in a battle with insurgents in Afghanistan while serving the Parachute Regiment in 2007.

He lost the use of his right arm, which ended his military career.

But, determined to prosper, Hewitt underwent 13 operations and put sport at the centre of his rehabilitation.

Keen on skiing and athletics, he was able to reach international level at ski racing, which now sees him captain the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team and compete in the British Disabled Ski Team.

He has also undertaken a number of other endurance challenges, most notably as part of the Walking With The Wounded expedition to the North Pole last year.

A team of ex-servicemen entered the record books by reaching the North Pole unsupported, a trek which Prince Harry undertook as part of a BBC documentary.

Hewitt has provided presentations to a number of sporting teams, including Matthew Hoggard’s Leicestershire. And it was something that interested Gale.

The left-handed batsman explained: “To have something like 15 operations and do what he does now with the use of one arm is inspirational. I’m quite keen to get people like that to talk to the lads.

“It broadens people’s minds and gets them thinking about how good our job is. It reminds them of what others have to go through to get to where they want to be in life.

“You’re only going to enhance yourself by listening to these sorts of people. If you can just pick up one or two things from them that you feel will help you, then it’s job done as far as I’m concerned.”

Apart from being a keen watcher of the game, Hewitt’s cricketing pedigree is limited to playing league cricket and at school in Widnes.

“I was a wicketkeeper in my high school team,” he said. “Not a very good one, mind you. For me, it’s very much a spectator sport now, which I enjoy when time allows.”

As well as having addressed the Yorkshire and Leicestershire squads, Hewitt is also due to speak to other counties before the start of the season.

“I just try to use examples of what I’ve done to assist others,” he explained. “Ski racing has been my sport. Before I got injured, it was boxing at an amateur level. I’ve taken skiing to an international level post-injury, and now I’m heavily involved in the adventure expeditions.

“I kind of just use those as examples of how you use your training to meet the physical feat that you’re taking on, whether it be sport or, for some people, just getting out of bed and doing a bit of exercise.

“With Yorkshire, the main focus of my presentation was on focus and commitment.

“At elite level sport, guys are doing the same thing week in and week out and year in and year out to achieve microscopic differences in performance. That’s difficult.

“My chat was centred around what we do to maintain that drive.

“Having the sheer bloody-mindedness can often be what separates those who win from those don’t.

“Mental drive is something that some argue is either there or it’s not. I don’t actually agree with that. I think it can be tailored.

“Take the military as an example. No one is born to be thrown into a battlefield and have to fight for your life. It’s something that requires training, a development of robustness.”

As for his opinion on what he saw in the Yorkshire squad, he had nothing but praise for them.

“As soon as I walked into the room, I could see that the Yorkshire lads are a very close squad with a very good team ethos.” he added.

“What they are fortunate to have is that mix of guys who are coming through their system working with others who are the best in the business, whether it be other players or the coaches. That can only help them progress.”

Hewitt is in the running to represent Team GB at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia.

Before that, however, he will be part of a five-man team attempting to climb Mount Everest in May.

Yorkshire have their own Everest to climb in the form of promotion back to the top tier of the County Championship.

But that feat should be made that touch easier with the help of the inspirational Martin Hewitt.