Sport - Having had a taste of international sport at the recent ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, Port Elizabeth biokineticist Runeshan Moodley has set his sights on combining his passion for cricket and fitness at an elite level.
Moodley, 33, was the fitness trainer for the South African team at the age group event in New Zealand, where the junior Proteas finished fifth.
A month on the road mixing it with the best from around the globe has whetted his appetite for the international game.
“It was a great experience and I managed to learn so much in my time with the squad. Being able to work with different coaches and staff has allowed me to gain insight into how different people work.
“The players were great, and made my introduction into the management team easier with their willingness to learn and add new dimensions to their games,” said Moodley, who until now has worked primarily with school and university cricket and hockey sides in the Eastern Cape.
The opportunity to go to the World Cup came after his stint with the under-19 outfit during their series against England and Namibia in Potchefstroom last year. In New Zealand the East London-born fitness trainer took charge of the warm-up activities, muscle activations and conditioning stations during the workouts.
Gym sessions on days when inclement weather hampered outdoor practice also fell into his portfolio.
Being qualified as a Cricket South Africa level two coach meant that Moodley took an equal interest in the coaching drills and game plans at the ICC tournament. He rates the World Cup assignment as the highlight of his career to date.
“Being able to watch and learn from the coaching staff allowed me to absorb a lot more information in terms of coaching.
"Coaching has always been a passion of mine and I will always look to learn more from the different approaches from different coaches.
"As a coach, I was able to assist with fielding and throwing balls at nets etcetera when needed by the coaching staff.”
At World Cup level teams are somewhat guarded in their preparations, and while Moodley found little opportunity to scrutinise other teams’ workouts, he keeps abreast of the trends in the fitness industry.
However, he also believes in remaining flexible in his approach.
“I didn’t have a chance to chat to or observe other teams' trainers much. Fitness trends are changing each year and adapting to new trends becomes the norm.
“Finding the balance between what works for the team and what works for me is of utmost importance and thus adaptability should be a key focus area,” said Moodley, who freelances for Eastern Province Cricket.
The former Nelson Mandela University hockey and cricket biokineticist also had a spell as Youth Academy director at Irish club YMCA CC last year.
There he got to immerse himself fully in coaching, and all going well, he plans to return in June to oversee their coaching programme.
With a World Cup on his CV, Moodley is, however, optimistic of combining his passion for coaching with his fitness expertise, and stepping into international arenas.
“I’m always open to new opportunities because it’s good for personal growth. I enjoy most sports and have experience in conditioning for rugby and hockey as well, but it’s cricket that has borne the most fruit so far.
"Opportunities may exist in another sports codes, but at the moment my focus is getting into a franchise team and finding short-term stints with T20 tournaments around the world.
“The modern game is all about specialising, so I don’t know if I can achieve it, but because I’m passionate to do both, that will be my ultimate goal.”
After a month away from home, Moodley is happy to enjoy family time with wife Elizabeth and daughter Ariah, who turns 2 next month.
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