We’re for our sporting heroes

Jed Hockin has not represented Australia – who knows if he ever will – but he’s still one of Toowoomba’s best known football players. Millions of people have seen him play what was once known as soccer.

His is an amazing story. The Toowoomba teen sent videos of his football trick shots to global powerhouse Real Madrid.

The Spanish club, who had 146 million social media followers in 2016, shared one of Mr Hockin’s videos across their social media platforms.

More than five million people watched the video on Instagram.

He’s more famous than many of us, and tens of thousands of locals only became aware of his prowess when The Chronicle reported his story. It’s what we do. We’re for all those sporting heroes from the past, present and those still to rise. And in this day and age, not all the focus is on the mainstream sports and stars.

We’ve always been immensely proud of our athletic achievers - on the sporting field, in our schools and all walks of life.

We’re for telling the stories about the people behind the story - and not just match reports.

We’re also for those sporting bodies and people, the volunteers, who have provided the base for us to boost youngsters to international stardom. Athletes like a young Johnathan Thurston who learned his trade at All Whites and now sits at the top of Australia’s sporting ladder.

We’re for our amazing sporting history and the greats who have put us on the national sporting map.

People like the legendary Duncan Thompson. The league maestro, coach and administrator fought in the First World War, was named among the nation’s finest footballers of the 20th century, and is regarded as the father of modern coaching.

We’re for people like John “Cracker’’ McDonald, who was there the night State of Origin was born, coaching our first Queensland side captained by Artie Beetson. And we won. We’re for promoting the city as the nation’s best league nursery with games this year involving the Broncos, the Titans and St George-Illawarra.

We’re for all those little kids who dream of glory every weekend – and love seeing their faces in our paper and website.

No one else does that. We’re for you.