Harding savours the Spirit of cricket coaching
The Age, January 30, 2010
by Jesse Hogan

LEIGH Harding the North Melbourne footballer's return to the MCG is still 13 weeks' away, for the Kangaroos' round-eight clash with Collingwood. But Leigh Harding the novice fitness guru will be at the ground today for the culmination of seven months' work: the final of the Women's National Cricket League season.

As assistant strength and conditioning coach for the state team, the VicSpirit, Harding's responsibilities have ranged from helping craft and run the players' pre-season training programs to running water bottles for the team in its Twenty20 final win in Adelaide last weekend. It was the first time the 28-year-old had celebrated a sporting triumph as a coach, rather than as a player.

"I was just there to help any way I could. If I can stock an Esky full of drinks I'm happy to do that," he said.

Harding's path to to the VicSpirit began when he injured his knee in training just in the last round of 2006. The resulting knee reconstruction forced the then goalsneak on to the sidelines for all of 2007. Even though he had led the club's goalkicking in 2003 the stint made Harding, then a 26-year-old with 89 senior games, confront his footballing mortality.

"When I did my knee in 2006 I did a personal training course [during my recovery] and I enjoyed that side of it but I wanted to go more into the athlete-type thing," he said. "I definitely had to think of different things. It was probably something to keep my mind off the rehab as well — that was the main thing at the start of it — and then I enjoyed it so much that I continued with it."

Starting an exercise science degree at Australian Catholic University took care of the theory side of fitness training — it still has many years to go as footballing responsibilities limit him to about one subject per semester — but for practical experience Harding had to look past North Melbourne, as he could hardly be helping run fitness sessions he was bound to be a part of.

His break came from a call last year to Mathew Pell, a former Kangaroos trainer who had become strength and conditioning coach for the VicSpirit. Pell was keen for help so Harding jumped at the chance, even though the most intense work took place in evenings in midwinter, right in the middle of football season. "I loved coming down late at night. It was the middle of winter, the girls are running around the Tan and the MCG and it's down to eight or nine degrees — but I love doing it. I love putting the [fitness] program in place and watching them improve from week to week in their fitness and their skills," he said.

VicSpirit coach Cathryn Fitzpatrick said Harding's elite fitness came to good use during group running drills, because he would join in at the front of the pack to ensure even the fittest players were pushing themselves. But she insisted his status as a current AFL player did not guarantee credibility within the group.

"They're not going to listen if they don't respect someone . . . He actually came in and gained the respect of the group through his knowledge and his application," she said.

While Harding is doted on by Kangaroos support staff during the winter Fitzpatrick said he easily adapted to his role-reversal with the VicSpirit.

"He knows that's his role. If he's telling the girls they should be hydrated then he provides them no excuse if he's standing there with a water bottle handing it to them," he said.

Most AFL players have not played an official match for four months and, as professionals, could easily be excused for obsessing over the countdown to the next season (now down to a fortnight). Harding, who described himself as "someone who's [always] tried to keep something outside of footy", said his involvement with the VicSpirit had kept him spritely during the off-season — and given him an admiration of the players he instructs.

Harding's reinvention as a midfielder last season brought him a top-10 finish in the club's best-and-fairest. He has played 139 matches and could potentially play another five years at the top level.
Even if injury curtails his playing career Harding said he was not daunted, because of what he has mapped out.

"I've gone and done it off my own bat — I wouldn't be here [with the VicSpirit] if I didn't want to do it."