Former world No.1 Andy Murray has revealed his plans to help develop the careers of promising young sports stars as he continues to play on the tour.
The 30-year-old aims to guide male and female athletes from a variety of sports with the help of his own experience. It will be done through 77 Sports Management. A company created by Murray and two of his business advisors shortly after he won the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. Their objective is to provide a ‘flexible, tailor-made management solution’ to clients.
Murray, who hasn’t played on the tour since July due to a hip injury, hopes to prevent young athletes from making mistakes. In an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, the Brit believes he was too young when he was signed to a management agency as a teenager.
“I signed with a management company for the first time when I was 12, 13 years old, which to me is ridiculous,” Murray told the BBC. “It’s way, way too young. You don’t need that pressure.
“You’re trying to become a professional and certainly my parents were not experienced in dealing with those situations.
“You can get yourself into trouble by signing long-term contracts that might not be in your best interests. Things like that you can avoid if you’ve got the right people around you.”
Instead of relying on his business partners to do the work, the three-time grand slam champion says he wants to be heavily involved. Holding discussions with athletes and their parents about numerous subjects. Aiming to utilize in own experience in order to make his company stand out more.
“If there’s anything they, their family, or anyone around them wants to ask or talk to me about, then that’s what I’ll do,” Murray pledged.
“I don’t want to be imposing my views or ideas on anyone. But I think that’s one of the nice things about having an athlete as part of the management company.”
Who is taking part?
Shannon and Cheriece Hylton are among the first to be selected by Murray. The twin sisters are both sprinters. 20-year-old Shannon won a silver medal in the 200m at the 2015 European junior championships. Last year she participated in her first World Athletic Championships. Finishing 23rd in the 200M heats. Meanwhile, Cheriece specializes in the 400M and also won a silver medal at the 2015 European Junior Championships.
“Andy is such a great player. I feel like even though he’s in a different sport to us, the attributes and qualities you need to have to be at the top of your sport is universal.” Shannon said during an interview.
Another player under Murray’s guidance will be tennis player Aidan McHugh. A 17-year-old player from Glasgow, who is currently ranked 56th in the world in the juniors. This season he has won a Grade 4 competition in Prague and has reached the semifinals at four other events. Earlier this year he practiced with Murray at Wimbledon.
🎾 Scots teen Aiden McHugh practises at Wimbledon with @andy_murray 🎾 pic.twitter.com/FyBRnjzjkT
— BBC Sport Scotland (@BBCSportScot) 1 July 2017
It isn’t just the sporting ability of the players that have caught the attention of Murray. It is also their academic success. Shannon and Cheriece are both studying and are expected to graduate in 2019 (Shannon in bio-medical science and Cherice in Business management). As for McHugh, he recently gained three As and one B in the Scottish Highers. The equivalent of the English A-levels.
“There are things that go into sport other than just the performance, like the education to set yourself up for life after you finish playing,” says Murray.
“That’s actually something I regret not doing myself – I wish I spent more time in education and that’s something I would pass on to others and certainly recommend more athletes do.”
Beside embarking upon his new venture, Murray is set to return to the tour in January.
