Stirling Sports Nelson – helping locals get motivated for summer

December 7, 2020
UniquelyNelson
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Wyatt Crockett and his wife Jen are the co-owners of Stirling Sports in Trafalgar Street. They became the new owners 2 years ago, and it’s been keeping them motivated and very busy. Wyatt was a professional rugby player for 14 years, playing as a prop for the Crusaders, Tasman Mako and was an All Black representing New Zealand for many years.

“When you are a professional sportsperson, you know that you will eventually need to do something else as you get older. I tried a few different things, including some Insurance work, but when the opportunity to buy a sports shop came up for grabs, we knew it was a good fit for us,” says Wyatt.

Wyatt grew up in Golden Bay where his parents owned a motor camp, so the idea of running your own business rubbed off on him. As a youngster, he was a boarder at Nelson Boys College since the age of 11 and reflects how it was a huge shock to the system moving from a small rural school in Golden bay to a big school in Nelson, but smiles as he recalls playing footy every day after school with his mates, which no doubt helped seal in the passion for his future rugby career.

“Being a husband and wife team, working together and having unique areas of focus is important. Jen has trained as an interior designer, so she enjoys doing the shop layout and merchandising side of things. I look after the ordering and admin tasks. We both enjoy serving customers and make them feel extra special. We have 7 staff on our roster, and they are all passionate about the sport with some training in the Sports and Recreation sector at university or our local NMIT. We also have Josh Ledger from the Giants working here too.” says Wyatt.

Stirling Sports has changed a lot in recent years. Traditionally it was filled with mostly cricket bats and tennis racquets, but there is a new emphasis on training wear, fashion, footwear, and sporting equipment.

They have recently expanded and now own the Richmond shop, so it is ideal for switching stock or sourcing specific products. It’s a big bonus for their customers.

“We have loved returning to Nelson and raising our 2 boys here. It’s such a special region, and everything is so close. We love being back here and building something we love. Experiences from my rugby career come in handy, which helps me transfer it to things like building the team and helping us achieve goals.”