Former Test captain Steve Waugh reveals behind-the-scenes mentor role for Australian players

WHILE he hasn’t had any official role in Justin Langer’s new regime, Steve Waugh has revealed his behind-the-scenes mentoring role for past and present Australian players.

Steve Waugh and Cadel Evens during last year’s Captain's Ride. Picture: Chris Kidd

FORMER Test great Steve Waugh has revealed he’s served as a behind-the-scenes mentor for members of Australia’s new-look team.

Few cricketers truly know what it takes to go from rock bottom to the top, but Waugh lived it from the low-point of Australian cricket in the mid-1980s to his glory days as captain.

Waugh said he hasn’t had any official role in Justin Langer’s new regime, adamant the new coach and captain Tim Paine need their own space to lay down the standards and pillars required.

But the inspirational former skipper confirmed he has privately been in contact with a number of current players about to launch a new era against Pakistan in the UAE next month.

Steve Waugh has been mentoring past and present players

On Tuesday Waugh launched his annual Captain’s Ride cycling expedition aiming at raising money for the more than 400,000 Australian kids living with rare diseases.

The Captain’s Ride is built on teamwork, camaraderie, mateship and strength of character.

Waugh says he won’t disclose the cricketers he has also imparted these messages to, but confirmed some are in the current side.

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“I do a lot of mentoring behind the scenes that nobody knows about and maybe that’s why players seek me out because I don’t tell people who I’m talking to,” said Waugh.

“I think that’s important when you’re mentoring. If they want to mention that I’ve been talking to them that’s fine but otherwise I give that advice and it’s on the assumption that unless they want to tell somebody about it, then it remains between us.

“I’ve mentored a number of players over the years and Cricket Australia would be probably unaware of that.

Steve Waugh and Cadel Evens during last year’s Captain's Ride. Picture: Chris Kidd

“I’ve spoken to a number in the current side and that’s the way it should be … you should be able to pass on knowledge and mentoring, I think that’s really important in the game.”

Olympic champion Anna Meares heads up the long list of celebrities participating in the Captain’s Ride, but Waugh said the hills of country Victoria might bring her back to the pack.

“It’s funny, two years ago she came on the ride and once we hit the 70km mark on day one she said, ‘this is the longest I’ve ever ridden.’ And she was serious,” said Waugh.

“It’s difficult for her because she’s normally a power athlete and she doesn’t do hills and doesn’t do long distances. So she’s challenged by it.

“Every story of these kids is amazing. We get a lot of feedback from the kids. We do aim to make a real and genuine impact in their lives and that is the case because they can’t get support from anyone else.

“There are kids that get extra speech therapy that end up talking when they’re not supposed to talk. We provide walkers and training devices where kids end up walking when they’re not supposed to.

“Every story is amazing. We get them every day and we are totally inspired by the kids.”

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Originally published as Former Test captain Steve Waugh reveals behind-the-scenes mentor role for Australian players