Our students were on hand to help All Black great Dan Carter complete his kickathon to help our Pasifika neighbours.

Several months ago a destructive storm rampaged its way through many Pacific nations, causing devastating damage to their fresh water drinking supply. However they were not alone in their struggles. UNICEF partnered with the one and only Dan Carter in a fundraising campaign, DC10, to raise money to provide the Pacific Islands with clean water and sanitation devices. This event was called the Kickathon. Dan Carter was to kick conversions continuously for an entire 24 hours with the aim of reaching 1,598 (All Blacks test points), meanwhile support donations would roll in from all over New Zealand. However, there was one problem. Who was going to be behind the posts to catch the balls? This is where six HBHS Boys came into the equation. On Friday the 8th of April a group of six boys including myself and two teachers travelled up to Eden Park to be ball boys for the last four hours of the Kickathon. As we arrived at Eden Park we noticed many of New Zealand’s finest celebrities such as Richie McCaw, Jono and Ben, and even William Wairua attempting a few kicks. For six hours we caught and set up Dan’s kicks whilst watching him slot goal after goal with flawless form, all the while trying not to embarrass ourselves on national television. At 7pm, when Dan kicked his final and 1,598th goal, the small crowd formed into a haka to honour Dan’s incredible performance. The Kickathon was hugely successful and could not have been pulled off if it wasn't for the dedication of the UNICEF organisers and their passion for the cause.