Roger Draper grew up in Wigan in optimum conditions for the nurturing of young sportsmen: supportive parents, a great rugby coach and a town full of inspiring rugby league role models.
"Everybody goes on about the importance of sports facilities, but people are probably the most important feature (in getting young people involved in sport)," he says. "My mum and dad got me involved in lots of different activities."
Draper is a firm believer in the importance of honing basic sports skills such as balance and co-ordination in young people in the early years - a principle he puts into practice at home. His two small sons already show promise. Ben, six, is a keen footballer, while Jack, three, is a budding golfer and cricketer.
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