Photo Credit: Professional Cricketers’ Association
Former Yorkshire seamer launches PCA Futures Week with boost for youngsters from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
The PCA’s flagship Futures Week is under way with an insight into Moin Ashraf’s MACC Academy and a chance to delve into the transition story of the former player himself.
The 32-year-old set up The MACC Academy in 2023 having realised he had a passion for coaching after falling back in love with the game following a spell in the corporate world after retirement from cricket, aged just 24.
PCA Futures Week takes place annually in the first week of November and forms part of the PCA’s Futures initiatives which recognises PCA members who have taken steps towards building a successful second career.
Headlined by the two-day Futures Conference on 6-7 November, the week also encourages all members to take steps towards planning for their future careers.
In the last five years, 199 players have left the game with the average age of a released player being under the age of 26. In the past 12 months, 785 current and former players have engaged in 4,870 recorded meetings with PCA Personal Development Managers.
The PCA spoke to Ashraf as part of Futures Week, which highlights support of players with significant educational funding to grow their personal development alongside and after their professional playing careers.
The former pace bowler for Northamptonshire and Yorkshire with 71 professional appearances and 92 wickets to his name enjoyed success on the pitch having been part of two County Championship winning squads and a Vitality Blast Finals Day victory, playing alongside the likes of Joe Root, Adil Rashid and Mitchell Starc.
The Bradford-born coach admits he fell out of love with the game after retiring and moved into the corporate world for work with the help of the PCA. It taught him valuable skills that has enabled him to be in the position he is today.
“I always thought there was more to Moin Ashraf than being a professional cricketer, I hold the PCA in high regard because they helped me with my degree and made sure I had a plan for the future, that was really important as I went into a different world of work.
“I went into the corporate world and experienced something away from cricket. I worked for JCT600 for a few years and it was a good experience, it made me grow as a person and my view on the world has become more holistic. I’ve realised there is a lot more to life than just cricket. I learnt a lot that now helps me as the Managing Director of my own coaching company.”
Ashraf had to face many hurdles as a young cricketer, growing up in a modest neighbourhood in Bradford playing alleyway cricket with makeshift equipment but his enthusiasm and talent for the game was recognised, becoming just the fourth British-born Asian to represent his home county and being called up to England Performance Programme squads.
“My experience as a young cricketer was very different to this environment. I’m trying to provide opportunities to those players that don’t have that privilege and making sure there aren’t barriers to participation.”
Ashraf was completing some voluntary coaching work and was told he had a talent for transforming the abilities of the next generation, so he decided to change careers and set up The MACC Academy, for those aged 11-17.
“I missed being on the pitch and I didn’t want to be behind a desk anymore, I realised I wanted to be teaching cricket, so I made the biggest jump in my professional life and set up the coaching academy. Now we have eight academies which is great and long may it continue.
“We match players in nets in terms of ability which feels very inclusive because if you’re good enough, age or gender isn’t a barrier to success. As coaches we are responsible for the game and if we can make cricket more inclusive and develop the game, that benefits everyone.”
Having created the academies, which he is immensely proud of, Ashraf faced a personal dilemma. The MACC Academy Managing Director had a successful coaching business but wanted to set up a scholarship so all players could benefit from his company’s services.
“The coaching business was doing well but I realised there wasn’t anything there for players from a lower socio-economic background and we wanted to help those less fortunate and it was something close to my heart coming from inner city Bradford.
Believing that barriers shouldn’t exclude any child from playing cricket and as a respected member in the community, Ashraf has taken it upon himself to help with cricket’s goal of becoming the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales.
Ashraf noted that growing up he wouldn’t have been able to afford the coaching services that he currently offers, expressing that ‘Moin Ashraf wouldn’t have been able to afford Moin Ashraf,’ and so he wanted to help less fortunate cricketers. The scholarship is able to function through commercial partners that fund the programme and the players are selected through an application process.
“I realised something needed to be done because these players needed help. We provide the best level of coaching and we’ve offered 31 fully paid scholarships this year which I’m really proud of, but I’d like to try and influence more players’ lives if possible.”
Oliver Eldridge, 15, is part of The MACC Academy and has aspirations to play at the highest level when he’s older but admits he just loves playing cricket with Ashraf as his coach.
“I’ve learnt a lot about the mental side of the game, that you couldn’t learn anywhere else and Mo puts you under good pressure with net based scenarios. He’s very inclusive and makes people feel welcome. People who are less fortunate get a chance at the same coaching standard which is great, they could end up as the next England players.”
Ayesha Seemab takes her son Hassan to The MACC Academy in Wakefield and is full of praise for the former Yorkshire player.
“I like Mo’s style, he encourages them and it ignites a fire inside them. It’s accessible for everyone which is great, if you have that passion, it doesn’t matter what your background is. Great coaches don’t just teach techniques they shape youngsters into a well-rounded people on and off the field and Mo is a great coach.”
Having retired from cricket at the age of just 24, he concedes that he should have prepared for life after the game in greater detail from a younger age.
“Personal development can be worked on constantly, one piece of advice I’d give players is to remember cricket is number one but the opportunity is there to develop other areas. I would have done sooner, if I’d known my career was going to come to an end as short as it did.”
The players’ association has supported the former fast bowler in his transition from an athlete, to corporate work and back into coaching, which is he is extremely grateful for.
“The assistance from the PCA was very important, from the finances to my Personal Development Managers, it was always easily accessible I hope they can continue to help more cricketers transition. Players have to realise that their career will come to an end and when the time comes you need a plan and to grab the bull by the horns and make something of yourself.”
Futures Week shines a light on the area of personal development and career transition among PCA members. The two-day Futures Conference forms the centrepiece of the initiative and both are part of the PCA’s Personal Development and Welfare Programme (PDWP). Click here to find out more.
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Name of Author: Professional Cricketers Association
The Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA), founded in 1967 by former England fast bowler Fred Rumsey as the Cricketers’ Association, represents past and present first-class cricketers in England and Wales. In the 1970s, the PCA established a standard employment contract and minimum wage for professional cricketers. It also helped create a pension scheme in 1995 and launched the magazine All Out Cricket and the ACE UK Educational Programme in 2002.
