When Gilbert Enoka started working with top rugby teams in the 80s, the idea of a 'mental skills coach' was frowned upon. So much so that when he was with a Canterbury team in the late 80s , he had to be disguised as a masseur whenever senior rugby officials were around.
But the sports psychologist would soon be accepted and then sought after by some of sports' greatest teams. He was taken into the All Blacks setup by Wayne Smith in 2000, and his ideas on leadership, culture and mental performance would then later become 'the secret ingredient' for a team that won two rugby world cups and dominated the sport for over a decade.
Gilbert has since gone on to work with other elite teams: the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns, the Crusaders and Chelsea Football Club in England. He's written about what he has learnt over the years in a book: Become Unstoppable: The blueprint from the world's most successful sports team.
Gilbert will also be one of the speakers at the WORD Christchurch Festival, which runs from August 27 to 31.
Photo: Book cover supplied by Penguin / Photosport
