Former local hockey star touts new brand of wellness

Richie Crowley has a mission to change the conversation on wellness. A former pro athlete, he excelled as a defenseman in hockey. The sport took him on an exciting ride starting at age 3 and continuing for almost 25 years as he played at higher and higher levels.

Canton native Richie Crowley has embraced a ‘wild but well’ lifestyle.

These days, however, Crowley, a Canton native, is passionate about expanding the definition of wellness. As a 27-year-old millennial who himself has faced mortality, Crowley wants to spread the word about what he sees as true wellness. He believes it should include a range of behaviors and attitudes regarding mind, body, relationships, sleep, stress, and finances.

Together with his business partner, Pat McAuley, Crowley created the wellness brand Wild But Well. The two had realized they shared an interest in wanting to create a larger, collective experience of the kind of wellness they had already implemented in their own lives. McAuley, a former college football player originally from Hingham, had experienced various health problems, which all disappeared when he changed his diet. Crowley had played with Canton Youth Hockey and then at Thayer Academy. At age 16, he joined the U.S. National U-18 team, went on to play for Brown University, and finally spent three years playing pro hockey for French and Italian teams. When his hockey career came to an end and his identity no longer revolved around being a high-level athlete, he had realized he needed to make some changes.

Crowley said that for about nine years he had positioned himself as a “party guy, life of the party, fun and crazy, drinking, and using illicit drugs.” He said that Wild But Well promotes a plant-based diet along with an intentional relationship to alcohol. Other important factors include amount of sleep, meditation, confidence level, and distractions such as technology and debt. He explained that this updated definition of wellness is especially relevant to millennials: the challenges he and McAuley had encountered are common among members of their generation. Needing to transition from the partying habits of student years is one shared experience. Crowley had wondered how he could still be that charismatic, “wild” person once he got sober and started prioritizing wellness.

In fact, Crowley said, he did get fewer invitations to social events. But there were plenty of rewards to offset the losses. Not only did no hangovers mean no more time lost to recovery days, but he also noticed an improved mental outlook during the workweek once he stopped looking ahead to partying on weekends. Crowley said that he and McAuley speak from their own experiences in order to advocate for wellness by saying, “Here’s how I do it and here’s why I do it.”

“I don’t want to be a preachy person,” he said, adding that Wild But Well promotes intentionality, but doesn’t require 100 percent abstention from alcohol.

Wild But Well offers micro-retreats for those who want to immerse themselves in the program. Crowley said usually about 10-12 people gather for a weekend during which they try out the lifestyle. The days begin with meditation (no cell phones allowed) and breakfast smoothies. Cooking classes, journal sessions, and some kind of movement are also part of the experience. Afternoons are typically more “wild,” with activities such as hikes and concerts.

Crowley said that millennials who are also former athletes are among those most attracted to Wild But Well. Current athletes, he said, “can be quite stubborn on their focus on protein and gym workouts.”

Crowley himself has no gym membership, recommending outdoor activities such as running, biking, and informal sports leagues. He said that he loves spending time outdoors year round — part of the reason he is now based in Los Angeles — and taking advantage of affordable activities and resources.

He believes his stress level is now well managed, and he has achieved resilience and consistency, whereas before he had no intention. Now, he said, “I wake up every day as my best self. It’s really cool.”

Future plans for Wild But Well call for expanding the number of weekend events. Crowley and McAuley currently receive compensation for speaking engagements and will be working on increasing those as well. Consulting for corporate wellness programs is also a possibility; they already do some of this as well as some coaching of individuals.

Integrity is important to them: the pair refuses to promote any products they don’t use. Crowley is excited about projects such as the Bike across America event he is planning for July to October, and a book he is working on, “The Millennial Guide to Wellness,” which he hopes will be completed and released by the end of 2019. Their overall goal, Crowley said, is to “make successful people even more successful.”

The next Wild But Well weekend event will take place April 25-28 in Maine. For more information, click on the Wild Weekends link at www.wildbutwell.com.

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Posted by Candace Paris on Apr 19 2019. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.