He played an important role in Brisbane’s 2015/16 Hyundai A-League campaign and Brisbane Roar defender Jack Hingert is doing his fair share off the field as well.
Hingert is well-known as an ambassador for the RSPCA Queensland and along with his partner Sym have begun helping out by providing a stable environment and a much-needed loving home for puppies before they are adopted to new families.
“We both thought the time wasn’t right to have our own dog and we thought about other ways we could have a puppy and help out,” Hingert said.
“We’ve been fostering puppies for about a year now and are up to our eighth foster puppy.
“There’s nothing better than helping out the RSPCA and we’ve loved it ever since we started.
“We’ve been lucky too because all the puppies we’ve had have been really well behaved and we’ve managed to get them adopted.”
The 25-year-old has become an integral part of the Roar’s defence and says the balance between football and life off the field has benefited him greatly.
“I’ve been here in Brisbane for a while now and I feel really settled. Everything on and off-field is going great at the moment,” he said.
“Off the field, I’ve got a few things going on at the moment, which obviously helps.
“Football is my top priority but it’s important to have activities off-field to balance things out. I believe this has definitely helped my performance on the football field.”
While there are many others doing the terrific work that Jack and Sym do, he says there are still a lot of dogs that are in need of a loving home.
“If you go the RSPCA you’ll see that there are so many animals that need help,” he said.
“All they require is a loving home and an owner with some stability and you see these puppies change.
“They all have different backgrounds. Some of these puppies have come from rock-bottom but by the time they are adopted, their change is massive.
“It’s a great feeling, but there are so many more that need help.”
The young defender only missed one game of the Roar’s 2015/16 Hyundai A-League campaign and was an integral part of Brisbane’s defence.
Only Jade North and Corona played more minutes for the Roar last season, and Hingert believes it was definitely his most consistent season.
“I think it was one of my most consistent seasons. It was helped by all the new coaching staff and medical staff coming in last year. They were great,” Hingert said.
“[Brisbane Head Coach] John [Aloisi] put a lot of trust in me, gave me a great opportunity and I think I took that.
“I just tried to improve at training and on the field every week.
“I only missed the one game through suspension, looking back now it was definitely my best season for the club.”
As the Roar enter their second week of pre-season training, Hingert has emphasised the importance of ensuring his body is at its peak by the time the first game comes around.
“In the past, I’ve been in and out. Last year I had a good pre-season, the medical staff kept me fit and healthy which was important because little injuries have been a problem,” he said.
“Having that solid pre-season definitely helped me when the season started.
“John [Aloisi] had good faith in me and I continued to grow each week and kept improving
The young defender has also spoken about the building anticipation amongst the playing group for the upcoming Westfield FFA Cup Round of 32 tie against Perth Glory.
“It’s nice to have a break, but after a few weeks you begin to miss it,” he said.
“Everyone’s buzzing being back at training and it’s going to be a big game against Perth.
“We’re looking forward to it and I can’t wait to be playing again.”
