Former Crusaders and Canterbury rugby player Adam Whitelock has proven success follows those who work hard, becoming Bayleys Sumner's top real estate salesperson for 2024/25 just a year after joining the branch.
The 38-year-old, who finished his professional rugby career with French club Bayonne in 2017, says the transition from professional sport to property sales was challenging but rewarding.
Whitelock settled in Sumner with wife Tiffany and their three children after returning from France, initially working in dairy farming and rural banking before obtaining his real estate licence four years ago.
"It was a big change leaving rugby, it's a massive part of my journey and I still love it, but it doesn't define me, I'm more than just a player," Whitelock said from his Bayleys Sumner office.
Rugby skills transfer to property market
The former midfield back believes his sporting background provided valuable transferable skills for his new career.
"You learn so much around hard work, teamwork and getting on with people, a lot of those skills are transferable," he said.
"I probably liked that the harder you work, the more reward you could get. Perhaps I take that from rugby."
Whitelock's typical day begins at 5am with a run before helping prepare his children - Sophia, Louis and Henry - for school. He credits this disciplined routine to his rugby training.
"In those first few hours, if you're controlling your day then your days are set up, your weeks are set up and your years are set up," he said.
"I probably learnt that process through rugby - planning your week, executing it and then reviewing it to see where you can get better, celebrate some wins, and then do it again."
From dairy farm to professional sport
Hard work was instilled early in Whitelock and his rugby-playing brothers Sam, George and Luke, growing up on a dairy farm in Palmerston North.
"We would all chip in and get the job done. We would milk on Christmas Day to help out, give staff time off and cover until the job was done," he recalled.
At 18, he earned a place in the Canterbury Rugby academy while studying accounting at Canterbury University, suddenly training alongside players like Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and Aaron Mauger.
"That taught us how to train professionally," he said.
Three years later he debuted for Canterbury against Wellington and went on to play 56 games, scoring 10 tries. He was part of Canterbury's remarkable run of six consecutive NPC titles from 2008 to 2013.
It feels good. When I was younger I had a lot of opportunities and support, so if it helps young kids, it's the right thing to do.
Crusaders success and international experience
Whitelock debuted for the Crusaders in 2009, playing 55 games for the franchise. One standout memory was a 19-14 victory over the Stormers in Cape Town.
"We beat a set of Stormers who had a lot of South African players at the time. We had come off a couple of losses and it was a tough game," he remembered.
"All of us were on the field and we'd all played well and in a hostile environment against the Stormers who were on fire."
He also played two seasons for the All Blacks Sevens, winning the World Series in 2014. One highlight was scoring a try at Twickenham - 61 years after his grandfather Nelson Dalzell scored there for the All Blacks against England.
Former Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder once described him as "one of the hardest workers in this team", praising his fitness and drive to improve.
His final professional rugby chapter took place with Bayonne in France's Basque region from 2014 to 2017, where despite injuries limiting his playing time, he experienced the passionate support of 20,000 singing fans.
Community involvement remains priority
Whitelock remains active in the Christchurch community, sponsoring the jerseys for the Sumner Wave premier rugby side and supporting Cure Kids NZ initiatives.
He also serves on the Crusaders alumni committee, which has raised more than $200,000 for YouthHub Christchurch over the past two years through its annual Hall of Fame event at Te Pae Convention Centre.
"It feels good. When I was younger I had a lot of opportunities and support, so if it helps young kids, it's the right thing to do," he said.
As for his real estate career, Whitelock admits it has been mentally harder than playing professional rugby, with the uncertainty of income and constant learning curve presenting new challenges.
"There's so much to learn and you are sort of at the mercy of the economy, you never know when you're going to get paid," he said.
"You make your calls, you give prompt communication back, you know your details and listen. It's a big decision to sell or buy, a lot of emotions, so you've got to have a bit of empathy."
Family business success
Whitelock recently helped his brother Sam, the former All Blacks captain, sell his Harewood property at auction for $2.45 million on March 3. The Johns Road home attracted competitive bidding before being purchased by Eric and Louise Wunderink.
Looking ahead, Whitelock aims to repeat his sales achievement this year while growing his profile and team. He is currently training for next month's Christchurch Marathon, maintaining the fitness that defined his rugby career.
"I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted to achieve in the next career," Whitelock reflected on his post-rugby journey. His success at Bayleys Sumner suggests he has found that achievement in helping Christchurch residents navigate the property market.
