THIS week I thought I would give an insight into the extraordinary and spectacular life of a rookie at the Perth Wildcats as I have become this season.
Sure I was a development player and have already taken part in some games this year, but this is my first season as a full squad member, which means I have to deal with the responsibilities of being a rookie.
Coming into the team my biggest worries were that I would be put up to some exposing dares and would not perform to the highest level in front of my peers – fortunately for me, none of this has come to fruition.
My transition into the team has been relatively smooth due to the trust the players, coaching staff and association members have instilled in me.
I am my biggest critic, but I’ve been privileged to learn from some of the best in the business.
Being a rookie you are expected to help out a fair bit on the road trips; unluckily for me I’m an extremely forgetful person and I’m constantly having panic attacks thinking I’ve lost our most important bags.
Another privilege of being a rookie is having the honour of wearing a suit for the entire duration of your flights, transits and team meals.
Last season my first trip was to Darwin for a pre-season tournament – you can imagine how comfortable I was in the heat of that plane and it got better when we visited Simpson’s Gap.
Some may think ‘why don’t you take off the suit?’ – well, the repercussions can be quite fierce and it’s something that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy (not that I have any).
It is a Perth Wildcats tradition and only one player has not followed through (he was recently drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers).
The times of rookie hazing might be on the decline, but I’ve never felt so close in a team before.
If that means I need to wear a suit on more occasions, prepare dessert in a toga or do the ‘Evolution Dance’, it’s something I’m prepared to do to be a part of something special.
Let’s hope for me the boys aren’t getting any new ideas...