Jensen kicking goals

By Kimberly Grabham

Jensen Hargreaves, son of Brett and Jacqui Hargreaves, and grandson of Rob and Marion Vance, could practically play sport before he could read.

From humble beginnings at Kinder gym when he was five, he was off to Tasmania as a Milo kid after his mum entered him in a competition.

Throwing balls around the yard with his mother soon turned into Junior cricket, Auskick and Little Athletics, there was just no stopping him.

He still holds five different records in Finley for Little A’s.

A tennis maniac from the ages of 8 to 11, playing AFL in tandem, and throw in a little swimming.

He truly loved AFL from the beginning, but believes his skill and focus was far more in the tennis arena at the time.

A fitting end to his tennis career arose at age 11, when he made the semi-finals in the state championships, he found at this point that his passions laid more in football and cricket.

He was a representative in Year Six for AFL at the Catholic School State Carnival, and has been in the North Central Victoria Academy for football for the past two years. He is a well-known figure on the first and 17s Hay Lions football teams.

“He has always been the kind of person to think oh I don’t want to do this or I won’t be any good at something and always truly surprises himself,” his mother Jacqui chuckles.

Case in point, today, having attended the Regional Athletics Carnival, coming first in one event and second in five others.

Truly humble, Jensen is a man of few words, but offers sage advice for youth pursuing their sporting dreams.

“Play as much sport, different sports as you can when you are young, it helps develop different skills.

“Once it is clear which is the sport for you, then focus on that.

“I don’t eat a special diet, but I have found going to the gym and building strength and muscle has helped me a lot over the past year or more,” Jensen says.

He is also an adroit student, enjoying P.D. and Maths the most, and many would also have experienced his polite and helpful demeanour after school at IGA.

It is an envy of many to be so good at whatever you put your mind to Jensen, I am sure we will continue to read about you in the sports section many more times to come.

Well done!