Josh Kennedy’s JK Foundation sponsors young Geraldton boxer Frauke Rawlings

Retired West Coast premiership star Josh Kennedy has been making headlines recently, not for his on-field performances, but for his passion project off the field.

The JK Foundation is dedicated to providing regional youth with the resources, connections and education they need to pursue their dreams and goals.

One of the beneficiaries of the foundation’s support is Nagle Catholic College’s Frauke Rawlings, who has a passion for boxing.

The 16-year-old has already made four trips to Perth this year to fight, as well as attending several training camps and sparring sessions.

Kennedy, who has returned to live in the Mid West after hanging up his boots last season, first heard about Frauke’s need for help in the most “JK” way possible — while doing his weekly IGA shop.

“Frauke’s sister was selling raffle tickets to raise money for interstate boxing tournaments. I was happy to buy a ticket and told her to give me her details because I might be able to help. From that, I spoke to her family and we lined up a sports scholarship from the JK Foundation,” Kennedy said.

In addition to financial support, the scholarship also includes mentoring sessions with Kennedy’s former teammate and founder of Complete Athlete Australia, Mark Hutchings, who specialises in the mental aspects of elite sports, such as dealing with stress.

Frauke has three tournaments this month, starting with one in Perth this weekend, followed by Adelaide and Tasmania in the coming weeks. The JK Foundation has made it possible for Frauke to compete in the Adelaide tournament from May 19-21.

“I had read a bit about Frauke in the papers, but I didn’t really know just how successful she had already been. Hearing about the amount of time and money the family had committed to get her this far, it was a great feeling to be able to help take her even further,” Kennedy said.

Frauke is the first young boxer to be the recipient of a scholarship from the JK Foundation.

Kennedy plans to follow Frauke’s performances over the next few months and hopes to include her and other regional young stars in a fundraising event later this year.

The fledgling foundation’s work extends beyond Frauke and the sport of boxing. It has also supported other regional youth in pursuing their dreams, such as a assisting with the Rock Solid Leaders program in Kalbarri and helping Noah Bennett, another Geraldton young athlete, achieve his basketball dreams.

“I wanted to give back to the community that supported me throughout my career, and the best way to do that was to help the next generation pursue their dreams,” Kennedy said.

The foundation has received support from a range of businesses and individuals who share Kennedy’s vision for supporting regional youth. Kennedy hopes to continue to grow the foundation’s impact and provide more opportunities for regional youth in the future, helping unlock their potential through financial assistance and mentorship.