By Will MacLaren
Brett Crossley is a firm believer in the time-honored adage, “If you love what you do, you never work a day in your life”. However, in this case, that saying carries only a partial truth. Make no mistake; Crossley has landed where he is today – from the Halifax Mooseheads to the booming Atlantic Canadian construction industry – thanks to dogged determination and the willingness to put in the effort required to achieve success.
After leaving home to suit up for Minnesota’s prestigious Shattuck St. Mary’s School – yet another in a long line of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia hockey alumni to make such a move – Crossley made his way back home following his selection by the Mooseheads in the 2014 QMJHL Draft. It proved to be a perfect fit.
“You see what the Mooseheads have done in the community, it’s one of the reasons they’re as big as they are and as appreciated as they are,” Crossley explains. “If it weren’t for the impact they had on the community, I probably wouldn’t have had as much of a desire to come home after going to Shattuck.”
Following a four-year career with the Moose, which included a surprise run to the league Quarter-Finals in his rookie campaign, staying local was top of mind for Crossley. In 2019, he enrolled at Dalhousie University. With the support of education funds established by both the ‘Q’ and the Mooseheads, Crossley emerged with a degree in Business Management. His next move, unsurprisingly, was to remain local. What that move was, however, could be labelled a surprise; a career with Lindsay Construction.
“I’m not from a construction background by any means,” Crossley points out. “However, my uncle started a swimming pool company when I was 12 years old and I worked with him when I could. That’s where I gained a foundational understanding of general construction. I learned how to read and execute plans. As far as large-scale construction goes, I wasn’t too familiar with it but I had an interest and was able to use the tools I’d acquired to find a role here.”
Lindsay Construction is the largest Atlantic Canadian based general contractor. With 65 years of successful operation in its past, the organization has truly hit its stride in recent years through continuous growth. For Crossley, a Project Coordinator with the firm, the desire to make practical use of the tools honed in the CHL as well as the university ranks is multi-faceted.
“Lindsay Construction’s (principles) are the same as the Mooseheads in many ways,” Crossley points out. “Growing up, my dad was coaching sports and involved in the community and whenever there was support needed for teams or for a golf tournament, Lindsay had their name all over it. The community support they’ve shown over the years is one of the reasons I wanted to become part of their organization. Now that I have the opportunity to do that for others in my current role, the impact they had on me isn’t forgotten.”
The projects Crossley currently finds himself involved in include a large multi-phase residential complex and, in a reflection of the community-minded mantra that has been instilled within him since his earliest days, a housing facility for an all-inclusive residential and vocational organization for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Some may ask how one finds a common thread between a degree in Business Management and a career in construction. Crossley’s answer comes without hesitation.
“It’s all applicable, really,” he explains. “Organizational skills, time management, all of that applies to school, work and sports. There’s a lot of carry over between those skill sets. As for management, it’s about predicting where to be and when to be there, conflict resolution and mitigation, problem solving… all of it really applies to the construction industry.”
When not on a jobsite, Crossley can still be found at the rink. His latest foray in coaching finds him behind the bench of the U-15 Sackville/East Hants Rangers. He also suits up for the Lindsay Construction hockey team on Thursday nights. In fact, trying to lead a group of middle-aged hockey heroes disguised as construction workers might prove to be as challenging as the toughest day in the world of construction!
All of it adds up to the usage of key life lessons which were first highlighted during his days in the CHL.
“(The Mooseheads taught me) time management,” he stresses. “Understanding there’s a job to be done but you can have fun while doing it. Also, it was about developing work ethic and discovering what you get out of life reflects what you put into it. It all ties into my everyday life, both inside and outside of work and sports.”
Sometimes, what you learn from the school of life is every bit as important as what you pick up in an arena or a classroom. Crossley has done as well as anyone to connect all of these experiences on his way to a successful post-CHL career.
