Outside Cricket
Waugh helps to raise funds for a leper children's colony, "Udayan", in Kolkata. He reportedly also encouraged his players to learn about and enjoy the countries they visited and played in, presumably partly to reduce the siege mentality of some previous Australian teams playing in south Asia.
Waugh is a keen photographer and has produced several "tour diaries" which feature his images. In his latter years as a cricketer, he has written for a number of newspapers. He insists on writing them himself rather than with the assistance of professional journalists. Steve Waugh was recently stated in an article as commenting: "If you don't help people who are in need, it's just not cricket". He is also a prolific author and his ever expanding series of tour diaries and thoughts provide an insight into the mind of Steve Waugh. Recently, he has written an autobiography called Out of my comfort zone, a book which has brought lots of controversy.
Waugh was named Australian of the Year in 2004, in recognition of both his sporting achievements and charity work. Waugh is married to Lynette with three children and was named Australian Father of the Year in 2005. Following retirement, Waugh established the Steve Waugh Foundation. The foundation is aimed at children who have a disease, an illness or an affliction that does not meet the set criteria of other charitable organisations.
Waugh worked as an athletics liaison officer for Australia at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He was also involved with the Australian Football side during the Asian Cup, assisting the team as a psychological mentor.
Waugh has been touted as a potential viable candidate for Australian government elections, although he personally disavows any political plans. Prior to the 2007 Federal Election, rumours were published in Crikey that Waugh might be the Australian Labor Party candidate for the seat of Bennelong, although subsequently Maxine McKew was nominated.
Waugh is the brand 'face' of the Wollongong-based health insurer ahm Australian Health Management.
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