crosisca on the gear

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8535064

Collingwood premiership star Gavin Crosisca has admitted he used illicit drugs throughout his 25-year playing and coaching career.

Crosisca, who was part of the 1990 Collingwood premiership side, has revealed he was addicted to cannabis and amphetamines (speed) and was only able to kick the habit last year.

"It's cost myself and my family enormously - emotionally, spiritually, materially, mentally, it cost us everything, especially my wife," he said.

"It ended up completely devastating my family and my life as I knew it.”



Crosisca's shock confession came during a special interview with current Collingwood President Eddie McGuire that will be aired on EMT tonight.

Crosisca said his addiction started with his first sip of alcohol, aged 15, and ended only when his wife admitted him into rehabilitation.

He said he tried speed for the first time with a friend at a one-day cricket match at the MCG. The next time was during the Magpies' 1990 Premiership celebrations.

"I was feeling it was perfect for me, it just gave me confidence, it allowed me to communicate well and it changed the person I thought I was."

Crosisca has been clean for 16 months and now wants to dedicate his life educating others on the dangers. He addressed Collingwood's playing group a fortnight ago.

"I want to make this my life. I will tell this story every day for the rest of my life if it makes a difference.

"All I'd known was masking, covering feelings and emotions up with drugs for so long. On reflection it's a lot of manipulation, a lot of lies, a lot of dishonesty.

"If ever I was confronted it would be defensive responses from me, blaming others.

"Before I came to Collingwood my addiction was on fire inside me. I actually brought a reasonable amount of cannabis down here when I first moved to Melbourne and I thought that was going to be it.

"I was hoping I'd be able to work my way through it, put it behind me and then look at getting into a positive football career."

Crosisca played 246 games for Collingwood before assistant coaching roles at North Melbourne, Hawthorn and Carlton for six years.