Hugh Greenwood praises healing qualities of Adelaide Crows training camp
ADELAIDE’S Gold Coast pre-season camp has its detractors, with coach Don Pyke labelling it a fail. But it came at the right time and place for psychology major Hugh Greenwood and gave him an outlet to process personal pain with his Crows ‘brothers’.
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HUGH Greenwood believes Adelaide’s controversial pre-season camp presented an outlet to process personal loss and pain with Crows “brothers” he’d bottled away from family.
Greenwood is heading on a surf safari with father Mike to Fiji following next Friday’s club champion dinner knowing the grieving process will hit hardest approaching the October 23 anniversary of mother Andree’s passing.
Adelaide’s Gold Coast pre-season camp has its detractors and affected players in different ways. It came at the right time and place for psychology major Greenwood to open up around teammates.
“It was a chance to sit down in a room, a pretty close environment and talk about these things I had kept quiet for while, talk to my brothers, my teammates about stuff I hadn’t really spoken about to my partner and parents before,” Greenwood told The Advertiser.
“It was a mixed bag for some people.
“I actually found really rewarding as an opportunity to open up and at the time talk about the loss of the grand final and it was not long after Mum passed away.
“We weren’t quite sure what we were doing before we got there. I was more worried about getting up at 3am and 4am for a boot camp but we never did any of that.”
Adelaide’s camp is understood to have impacted negatively on some indigenous players. Greenwood, by contrast, is uniquely positioned to deal with mental adversity through professional study and life’s curve balls.
“I got my degree in psychology, I was fairly equipped, have learnt a couple of things over the years. I left home when I was 15, lived in Canberra for four years at the Australian Institute of Sport, United States for four years and Mum has been sick,” said the former University of New Mexico point guard.
“I feel like for the most part I have been mentally resilient and that is through experience.”
Having enjoyed a breakout year where he’s elite for pressure and goals as a midfielder Greenwood is savouring his first, free AFL off-season.
Greenwood was three days into his off-season vacation in America last year with partner Kirtsen before rushing home to be with indomitable ‘Onny’ who fought a brave battle with breast cancer.
“This summer is all about family,” he said.
“I have tried to do as much as I can with Dad. In the mid-season break we went away to Gold Coast together. It will be strictly a boys trip,” said 190cm Greenwood, now genuine a contested possession king and mark option in Adelaide’s forward line.
“I try to do as much as I can with him as that is what he and Mum used to do, go away and travel together. It will be really good to go away and put the phone down for 10 days.
‘It will be special with my old man, uncle and cousin. We are in a dedicated surf safari.”
Greenwood has acknowledged his Mum, pointing to the sky through 16 goals this season starting in round one against Essendon at Etihad Stadium.
“I still do it after most goals. That one in particular is one I hadn’t really thought about too much going in but it was a natural instinct to do it. It was a nice moment,” recalled Greenwood.
Andree was there to share Greenwood’s three-goal debut against Brisbane at the Gabba in round seven last year. However, there was a different feeling after the 26 year-old’s four-goal effort against the Lions at the Gabba this season.
“Early on it was tough because I was doing things and playing games and not getting messages before and after games and she was always coming to games,” noted Greenwood, with last year’s AFL grand final loss to Richmond the final game his mother watched on.
“I still have my moments from time to time but for the most part I have been able to hold it together.”
Greenwood will return to Tasmania after his surf safari with dad Mike to spend time with family including sister and talented basketballer Josie.
Adelaide missed the finals this season and its pre-season camp caused waves but the fragility of life and importance of family provides enduring perspective.
“I am sure when the season winds down and this is the time I would normally go home and spend time with her and Dad it will hit me,” said Greenwood.
“It will come to 23rd October, the day she passed so I will head back to Tassie to spend time with the family then. It will sort of sink in, it is crazy to think it hasn’t been a year yet. It feels like it has been forever, hopefully it will get easier.”
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