Hart sees mental toughness as key to success for hungry Knights

At a time when the passion of some of our top sports people is increasingly being questioned it is indeed refreshing to spend time in the company of the State Northern Districts Knights captain for the 2001/02 season Robert Hart. Behind the boyish look is a steely resolve to achieve at both a personal level and for the team to which he is so fiercely loyal, the State Northern Knights.

Hart is passionate about his role as captain and sees it as a privilege to lead such a talented group of cricketers. There is obvious disappointment in his voice in recalling the previous season.

"We played ourselves into a strong position in both Cup and Trophy matches without being able to deliver the knock out blow," he remarked, "we felt we let ourselves down by not kicking on when it really mattered."

He sees the coming season as something of a renaissance for the Knights. With a new coach in Bruce Blair and a renewed hunger amongst the experienced players in the squad, Hart is unashamedly upbeat about the team's prospects for the new season.

"Under Chris (Kuggeleign) we enjoyed a great deal of success and the time now feels right for us to make a positive new start to build on that fine record the association has fashioned."

Hart is convinced that Northern Districts has ample playing resources within its boundaries and has every confidence that any new players introduced will step up and contribute positively at both a personal and team level. This summer he intends to play his club cricket for a newly formed Waikato Secondary Schools side in the Waikato-wide competition. As captain and wicket-keeper he will serve as both role model and mentor while honing his mental skills for the first class season that follows.

He is staunch in his belief that to improve oneself it is essential to possess a vision along with a well planned strategy to achieve the desired goals. Hart is committed in his vision to make the Northern Districts Knights the dominant provincial team in the country and from its playing number the largest contributor to international ranks.

And yes, Hart harbours a strong desire to achieve higher honours at a personal level. He has already put an enormous amount of time and effort into his personal and team preparation for the coming season.

"Looking at the current set up of New Zealand Cricket the opportunities are there if you put consistently strong performances together. I play to achieve and higher honours are certainly a driving force. The day that ambition is gone is the day I'll stop playing."

Hart has had to arrange his life since 1997 into 'windows', balancing his passion for cricket with his career as a lawyer specialising in commercial law. Completing his law degree with first-class honours from Waikato University in 1997 Hart's occupation reads Lawyer or Professional Cricketer depending on the time of the year. He is convinced that working in a challenging work environment helps his ability to be mentally sharp in the cricket arena.