Alumni and Supporters

Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sports Science) (2019)

As Western Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the 2023-24 Sheffield Shield season, cricketer Corey Rocchiccioli is firmly entrenched in the state team, and could be bound for bigger things, making his way into the Australia A team earlier this summer.

But his journey is unique in that he came into the professional sporting arena with a degree already behind him, graduating from ECU with a Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sports Science) in 2019.

“I think its been vitally important just to give myself the understanding that there's more outside of cricket, there's more outside of professional sport,” Corey explains.

“The fact that I was able to come into the professional setting with a degree under my belt, put me at ease to know that I've got some stuff happening on the outside if worse came to worst.”

After finishing high school, Corey began his studies at ECU.

“I wasn't really close to playing professionally so I chose to do the university degree. I sort of fell into sports science, just through my love of sport,” he says. “At the time, I was thinking that I was going to go on and be a PE teacher, but it didn't end up that way.”

With a clear determination to succeed in whatever he set his mind to, Corey admits juggling full-time study with a part-time job at Bunnings and cricket was tough at times.

“I remember working really hard on my studies, having to work a part-time job, then training and not getting home until nine or 10 o'clock at night - and then you do that again for days on end.

“So that was probably the biggest challenge - maintaining that balance between getting my studies done, committing really hard to play cricket, and then also finding work on the side - that combination was really hard to handle at times, but I was able to work through it.”

After graduating, Corey was able to put his degree to use, taking on roles at a strength and conditioning facility and sports coaching at Scotch College, before securing his contract with Western Australia.

“I always had a dream of being a professional something in terms of sport, I played footy and cricket as a kid - cricket just kept being the one that wouldn't really go away,” Corey says.

“It was something that I always wanted to do, and I still pinch myself that I'm living the dream.”

The off-spinner says the skills he learnt at ECU are still helping him today.

“As I'm going through my professional sporting career, having the sports science degree is something that I'm using a lot of now,” Corey says.

“I feel like it has given me a bit of a leg-up compared to some of the boys who haven't had that background, in terms of training and structures and knowing when you're doing a running session, why you're doing a running session.

“I've been able to learn and understand what it's about, which has kept me in good stead.”

“Enjoy where you are, work really hard in the moment you're in and hopefully one day it happens.”

Since his first-class debut in September 2021 Corey has achieved tremendous success with his team, with Western Australia winning three Sheffield Shield titles in a row. Last season it coincided with 46 wickets – the most for a WA spinner in 55 years.

“We hadn't won a Sheffield Shield championship in 21 years three years ago, then we got three in three. So we've played well as a team.

“I think the fact we've been able to win three of them, and then be able to perform in the year that I had, it certainly feels like one of those moments that I'll always cherish.”

Aged 27 Corey has plenty of cricket left in him, and when asked about his goals for the next few years, the answer is simple.

“Oh, hopefully playing cricket for Australia. But if I don’t play cricket for Australia, just constantly performing for Western Australia, finding my way back into a Big Bash team, and constantly trying to get better.”

Knowing the importance of upskilling, Corey is also completing an MBA, further setting himself up for life after cricket.

“I actually don't really know - I just hope that when I'm finished cricket, I give myself an opportunity to have as much fun and as much purpose that I do with cricket in whatever I do. Whether that's going to be a schoolteacher or a coach or owning some small businesses - I'm not quite sure.

“But I think the thing that I'm always landing back on is I hope that I give myself a chance to have as much fun as what I do now. I think I’ve probably got the best job in the world, and I hope that I can say that in 30/40 years, that I continued on and did some fun stuff.”

Knowing his pathway was not a traditional one, Corey is well placed to give advice to others who may not find themselves where they want to be at a certain point.

“I think you’ve got to be where you are in that moment and just enjoy whatever it is and understand that if you've got your goal, you can just keep working towards it every day. I think at times in my journey, I got caught looking too far ahead and not enjoying the time of life that I was in.

“Enjoy where you are, work really hard in the moment you're in and hopefully one day it happens.”