Many know Jono Hickey has the sharp shooting Auckland halfback. What you may not know is the hard work he puts in behind the scenes to grow our community game.

Hickey is the Grammar TEC Junior Rugby Development Officer and is this week’s Unsung Hero.

Outside of playing for the Auckland Mitre 10 Cup team, Hickey spends his time at primary schools in the Orakei area promoting the game and coordinating the Grammar TEC junior club.

“I was told about 18 months ago that there was going to be a job going at the club and so put my hand up for it,” said Hickey.

“It’s fun working with the kids and we’ve got a great group of parents involved as well.”

Hickey said it’s a small junior club but it’s growing, and the goal is to get a team playing in every junior grade.

“We want to keep building, from the bottom up. A few years, we should be able to have a team in every grade. We want more kids in the Orakei area to be picking up the oval ball as opposed to kicking a round one,” quipped Hickey.

If the club continues to the promote the culture that is emerging at the moment, that shouldn’t be hard.

Hickey said parents are quick to put their hands up for volunteering and fundraisers.

An initiative earlier in the season saw junior players run to the field alongside the premiers.

“Things like that help with the culture, the players and the juniors really enjoyed when we ran out to the field together; it ties everything together.”

"As well as being one of our high profile players and premier captain, Jono also is charged with establishing and building the Grammar TEC junior grades," said Grammar TEC Club Manager Darryl Menzies.
 
"He spends a lot of time on the grass coordinating Friday night and Saturday morning rugby as well as aiding and supporting all their fundraising efforts. He’s spending a lot of time in local schools coaching and establishing rugby programmes as well as delivering his own rugby based school holiday programme," said Menzies.

Saturday’s are long for Hickey. He’s at the club first thing in the morning to help set up and look after the junior games, before turning his attention to the premier side, currently playing in the Alan McEvoy Memorial Shield round.

Tomorrow they host Ponsonby for the final round robin match of the season. While Gallaher Shield is out of their grasp, they’ll want to finish on a high with Jubilee Trophy.