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Episode Summary: 

In this episode of Sport Is Life, we sit down with Ben Cross to dive into the mindset and resilience required to succeed at the highest level. Despite not being graded until 24, Ben carved out a remarkable career with Melbourne Storm and NSW, proving that persistence and hard work pay off. He shares powerful insights on the long game of high performance, the mental and physical battles of professional sport, and how focus and discipline translate beyond the field. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, or someone striving for greatness in any field, this episode is packed with lessons on overcoming obstacles and seizing your shot at success. 

About the Guest: 

Ben Cross (born 6 December 1978 in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach. Known as "The Boss," Ben began his career playing junior rugby league for the Batemans Bay Tigers before making his mark in the NRL. He represented New South Wales in State of Origin as a formidable prop and played for several notable clubs including Canberra Raiders, Melbourne Storm, Newcastle Knights, Leeds Rhinos, Wigan Warriors, and Widnes Vikings. 

During his NRL career, Ben gained recognition for his powerful ball-running and wholehearted play, notably contributing to Melbourne Storm's 2007 NRL premiership victory. He also represented Australia in the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Transitioning into coaching, Ben served as an assistant coach for the Newcastle Knights and later took on the role of head coach for the New South Wales Rugby League Women's team. 

Ben's coaching journey continued with roles at Brisbane Broncos and PNG Hunters, culminating in his appointment as head coach of the Ipswich Jets. Despite challenges, his coaching career reflects a dedication to developing rugby league talent across various levels. 

About the Host:  

Ian Hawkins, host of "Sport Is Life," is dedicated to showing how sports can transform lives. With extensive experience as an athlete, a coach, PE teacher, community volunteer, and manager at Fox Sports, Ian brings a wealth of knowledge to the podcast. His journey began in his backyard, mentored by his older brother, and has since evolved into coaching elite athletes and business leaders. Ian's commitment to sports and personal development is evident in his roles as a performance coach and active community member. Through "Sport Is Life," Ian shares inspiring stories and valuable lessons to help listeners apply sports principles to all areas of life.  

If you’re working too hard too quieten the headnoise, check out my Performance Meditation training here - https://www.ianhawkinscoaching.com/performancemeditation 

Join the 2025 Planning Session here https://www.facebook.com/share/1C6AqzhGeY/ 

Check Me Out On:  

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If you've been an NRL fan for a while,

you'd be familiar with the name Ben

Cross. He was part of the

Melbourne Storm teams in 2006, 2007 that

had so much success he went on to

represent NSW. What you might not

know is that he didn't get graded till he

was 24. So he learned so many valuable

lessons around 40, but also life

and the importance of having a clear

focus on what it is you wanted to

achieve. There's also some great

information there that he shares around

how important it is to continue getting

better at getting better, whether that's

in your sport. Or in your personal life,

Enjoy.

I'm Ian Hawkins and this is Sporty's

life. The purpose of sport, as I

see it, is to see your vision become a

reality, find your voice, create

strong connections and learn to trust

your body.

What a great chat, I always love learning

from people who have performed at the

highest level. The great reminder

for me, for my game plan is you've got to

continue to get better at getting better,

particularly when things are going well.

So a good reminder for me. For you to

add to your game plan, absolutely that

lesson, but also the importance of having

accountability and having someone there

to. Pull you in the lawn or

encourage you or push you in the right

direction. If so, this is something you

need know you need. I'll just remind you

of my accountability group that I have.

We catch up once a week. It's straight to

the point. What do you need to do this

next week? And then we review it the next

week to make sure that you've done what

it is that you need to do. So if you're

someone like me who loves that

accountability like you would get in a

sporty environment, then. Shoot me an

email and we can talk.

You've taken the time to listen to this

whole episode. Now it's time to take

action. Commit to one thing you've

learned today and make it happen. And to

avoid any obstructions, join the Sporty's

Life movement by clicking on the link in

the show notes.