A whole different ballet game...

CRAIG SCHOFIELD

CRAIG Schofield has had his work cut out within a packed treatment room - but it’s all in a day’s work for a man who swapped ballet for the blood and sweat of the beautiful game.

Athletic’s head physio has been in the job for only six months after taking over from Jon Guy, and hasn’t had an easy ride. Manager Dean Holden has had to cope with up to nine players out of action lately.

That raises the pressure on the medical department, which is headed by Schofield. Assessments are made that decide whether a player remains off the field or returns to action, and when.

But after leaving Northern Ballet Theatre to return to his sporting roots, the Wakefield man (38) has embraced the difficulties.

“I enjoy it all,” Schofield said. “The highs are high and the lows are low, but as a medical department whether you are top of the league or bottom, you have to maintain consistency.

“There is pressure, but it’s a challenge.”

After working with rugby league clubs Bradford Bulls and Keighley Cougars prior to a short stay at Huddersfield Town and a much longer one at Doncaster Rovers, Schofield spent time two years ago working with the armed forces before moving into the very different sphere of ballet.

On the face of it ballet and football have little in common - but Schofield draws easy parallels.

“There are similarities,” he said. “I was dealing with up to 50 dancers and we were travelling and touring nationally and internationally. There were a lot more people to look after, but there were similar problems. You had to take it day to day.”

Athletic’s injury crisis was partly down to muscle problems, but Schofield says it won’t happen again. “we feel we have got to the bottom of it now, after putting a few things in place”, he explained.

Physical injuries aren’t the only problems that cross his treatment table: keeping spirits up is an essential part of his role.

“You are part physio, part psychologist,” he said. “You have to adapt to each player and each day presents new problems. You just have to cater to those individuals.”