Mini Maroons: Weipa wonderkid pitches in for Country Week

The last week has been a big one for Weipa teenager Hunter Slingo.

A regular volunteer around the Central Cape Suns, Slingo's workload doubled over the past week as the small town and club prepared for the arrival of the Northern Pride and Sunshine Coast Falcons for the Hostplus Cup's Activate! Queensland Country Week.

From pitching in to clean in the days leading up, to being there in the early hours on game day to set up the field, Slingo was everywhere.

He even played in the opening game on Saturday, July 15, for the Central Cape Suns under 14s before helping out as ball boy for the four games that followed - including the Hostplus Cup clash.

Trent Gordon, who organised the weekend on behalf of the Suns, said Slingo learned from his mum and dad, who were two of the club's biggest volunteers.

And he said Slingo's Country Week efforts weren't a one off, with the young player often helping out at all times of the season.

"His parents are down here every week basically from three o'clock until eight o'clock, in the canteen, cooking all our meals and providing cold drinks to players," Gordon said of Hunter's parents.

"Hunter's here with them at three. He helps with the set up, helps unload everything out of the car, helps out on the field afterwards, packing up, and does it frequently, every week.

"I don't think (his parents) would have it any other way that Hunter is down here as often. He's keen to be out there, helping out with the players and doing ball boy.

"He was down here from the early hours (on the morning of game day) helping us set the field out. His parents have been down here the last two days so Hunter, after school, has been down here as well.

"He helped stock all the fridges and clean all the rooms out and get everything sorted for the weekend. He's had a busy few days."

Gordon said kids like Hunter not only make his job a bit easier, but help to inspire other kids around the club to also roll their sleeves up and get involved where they can.

"In a small community like this, it's extremely important because we have a very small volunteer base," Gordon said of Hunter's influence.

"For the other young kids - and even the older kids - to see Hunter putting back into his football club, I think it's very important to see.

"He had a young fella following him along all day, who probably looks up to Hunter. It's good to see and hopefully they follow in his tracks."

Main image: Hunter Slingo (right) helps out as ball boy with another young kid. Photo: Rikki-Lee Arnold/QRL