NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos to work with Ash Barty’s mindset coach Ben Crowe

It may be deep into the off season but the Broncos are still making moves to improve their 2022 chances - and this latest one comes with an endorsement from a Wimbledon champion.

Number 1 women's tennis player in the world Ash Barty films a Uber Eats commercial ahead of the Australian Open. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Ash Barty believes the Broncos have made a smart move by hiring the mindset coach who helped her become the world‘s top women’s tennis player.

The Broncos have recruited Ben Crowe, the former Nike executive who has worked with Tiger Woods, Dylan Alcott, Steph Gilmore, the Richmond football club, Barty and many corporate heavyweights, on a consultancy basis as a player mentor for the new season.

Crowe comes with the highest recommendation from Barty who has consistently praised him for being instrumental in her rise from temporarily giving the sport away to being a two-time Grand Slam winner.

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Ben Crowe helped take athletes like Ash Barty and Steph Gilmore to the top of the world.

“Crowey is incredible,” Barty told News Corp at the filming of a new Uber Eats commercial to screen throughout the Australian Open.

“He is a master of his trade and I put so much trust in him. I think he will do great things with whatever team or sport he is surrounded by.

“I don’t watch a lot of NRL (Barty is a devout Richmond AFL fan) but I am sure he has a lot to offer.

“I won’t say all his secrets, but one of his biggest assets is that he is able to communicate with you in a way that helps you see clarity to be the best version of yourself in a very simple way. It is not an easy thing to do.

“Becoming the best version of yourself every single day. That is kind of what I do with him and everyone does.’’

Barty has been world No 1 for two years and Crowe has been praised as a key factor in Barty handling the relentless pressures of being the game‘s top player.

Barty will appear in an Uber Eats commercial during the summer of tennis.

Barty‘s unassuming ways were evident on the set of the Uber commercial, where she quietly and comfortably mixed with production staff and extras brought in to act as fans in the stands, as she posed for the commercial to promote Uber’s new grocery and convenience categories.

The advertisement will have three different online endings where fans will be allowed to choose how to solve a stadium blackout.

Part of Crowe’s creed is to encourage players not to align their self worth to their success as a player or become too obsessed about public recognition, instead being grateful for what the sport has given them and be prepared to be vulnerable, which could be a valuable asset for a Broncos team with fragile self-esteem.

“We are so hard on ourselves as a human race,’’ Crowe once said.

“We’ve got this unconscious, negative bias. We get caught up with perfection myth or feeling like we’re not good enough or don’t deserve to be captain or loved enough, successful enough.

“You can give yourself permission to be imperfect but also unconditionally worthy.’’  

Adam Reynold is set to help the Broncos with their leadership issue.

One key area where Crowe could make an impression at the Broncos is in the leadership ranks which have been worrying thin.

Experienced recruit Adam Reynolds is likely to be club captain, which will be a temporary solution, but the options behind him are limited.

Crowe worked wonders with Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, who went from being tagged one of the worst leaders in the AFL to a three-time premiership captain and lauded as one of his team’s most selfless players.

Originally published as NRL 2022: Brisbane Broncos to work with Ash Barty’s mindset coach Ben Crowe