Sports Recruitment International

Name:  Crista Cullen
Position:  Great Britian Women's hockey player

With over 54 Great Britain caps, 92 England caps, Commonwealth, World Cup and European cup bronze medals, awarded Great Britain’s Hockey player of the year (2006), named three times in the International Hockey Federation’s World All Stars Team (2006, 2007, 2010), and as Great Britain’s top goal scorer in the Beijing Olympics, Crista Cullen is widely recognised as one of the best hockey defenders in the world.

Crista is also a member of Sports Recruitment International's marketing team, assisting with online marketing and social media. 

Q. How do you manage the balance between sport and work?

A. It is always difficult trying to balance your sporting ambitions and your business career and in some sports there is the luxury of having financial backing. However I always felt that it was important that I had my career running alongside, as you can become injured at any stage and always need something to fall back on. Work gives you that reality check element too and I found that a useful distraction from the world of being an elite athlete.

Q. Explain what you do for work outside of hockey

A. Outside of Hockey I work at Sports Recruitment International assisting the online team and managing the social media. There always had to be an element of flexibility around my work and it was important to have an employer who understood then commitments that are needed to be part of a elite program training for London 2012. Now that the Olympics are getting closer I have had to scale back my work, but I still see myself as very much a part of the Sports Recruitment team.

Q. What strategies have you used to build the Crista Cullen ‘brand’?

A. Unfortunately in hockey you compete with so many other sports that are a lot higher profile, especially with a home Olympics on the horizon. However we do have an incredibly loyal hockey family and with the games in site it is our opportunity to put Hockey on the map. With successful performances there comes more coverage resulting in more recognition. I have tried to develop my profile a little with a website (www.cristacullen.com), however ultimately it is the results that matter.

Q. Why do you believe it is important to maintain a career outside of hockey?

A. I think it is vital as athletes cannot maintain performances forever, and you must have something alongside to fall back on. That could be for your own piece of mind, or for financial reasons. This whole issue is very personality driven though, if someone likes one goal and one focus then full time athlete is for them and there is nothing wrong with that. For me I liked the mental challenges that work brought, so I was able to arrive at training refreshed and part of a very different environment.

Q. What are your plans for when your playing career has finished?

A. Once my career is over I would love to return back to Africa, all my family are there and I have been away from them a long time. I have loved every minute of my hockey career, but hopefully when the time is right I will go back to Kenya and find other things that fulfill me. I ultimately would love to set up my own business and get into conservation in some way.

Q. What advice would you give to other elite level sports people in regards to planning for life after sport?  

A. I think when in the world of sport it is so easy to get caught up in what you are doing and not look long term. If you don’t necessarily need the money, or don’t want the distraction of being employed, maybe doing a course or getting some experience could be a good option. If you come out of an elite program and have minimal qualifications and no experience it is so difficult to get your foot on the ladder in this day and age.

Q. In a world where ‘work never stops’, what advice would you give to business people for maintaining their health and fitness?

A. I think it is all to easy to get caught up and so busy at work but if you don’t have your health you don’t have your life! The key is getting into some form of a routine, get into good habits. That may be riding to work 2/3 times a week, hitting the gym at lunchtime or before work. Planning ahead and being organised with the correct lunch, you have to fuel your body appropriately. It is too easy to graze all day and never move from your computer; breaking those habits is so important.

For more information on Crista, visit her website or follow her on Twitter:

www.cristacullen.com
Twitter: @cristacullen5