Kennedy Simon leading the charge for Chiefs Manawa
For Kennedy Simon, the “toughest training I’ve ever done” gave her the rugby bug.
She never imagined it’d lead her to captain the Chiefs Manawa side, but hopes other young females now dream of it.
The 27-year-old will lead her team out in their opening game against the Hurricanes Poua at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday.
Simon grew up in Nawton, going to the local primary school, and finished up at Hamilton Girls’ High School.
The school is well-known for its rugby programme and Chiefs Manawa coach Crystal Kaua was Simon’s first ever rugby coach there.
Her first taste of rugby was at intermediate though, in a local rugby tournament.
“I think for me it was just somewhere to go instead of doing nothing at home.”
Then, in year 10, Simon’s best friend and ride home dragged her along to a training session.
“It was the toughest training I've ever done because we did conditioning. It was up and down and I was a netball player prior to that. And so I never did that kind of fitness.
“I went home and I wrote myself a meal plan as I never wanted to feel like that again.” Simon then had to choose between netball and rugby.
The oval ball won. And while it was a pivotal decision, there was no family influence - they’re rugby league fans.
“So they don't quite understand the rules of rugby but they support.”
Simon’s Super Rugby Aupiki season kicks off at 2.05pm on Saturday, and she’s hoping it’ll grow the women’s game.
“We're right on the edge. We’ve still got a little bit of work to do in terms of professionalism and making waves with this opportunity that we have.”
Simon said it’s incredible being a fulltime rugby player, starting work between 8 and 9am and finishing about 3pm.
“I have the rest of the day to come and catch up with my family and do things that will elevate my life.
“And along the way I get to meet beautiful people and find new challenges.”
Simon fills her cup by hanging out with her nieces and nephews or her close rugby friends, Tenika Willison and Ariana Bayler.
A sewing machine bought by her mother-in-law allows her to upcycle items.
“The way I like to unwind is to read a nice book. I'm actually a Harry Potter fan... I would watch Harry Potter on repeat all day.”
Simon’s fiancée Solomone Tukuafu plays for Highlanders so it’s long distance for now.
“We've been in each other's pockets for about the last eight years. The last time we went long distance was when I moved over to Japan, and he followed five months later. So it’s readjusting, making the most of our time apart because I'm engaged to him so he's trapped now.“
But Simon doesn’t have an empty house - she’s filling it with developing women’s rugby players through the Chiefs Manawa agreement with Japan’s Mie Womens Rugby Club Pearls.
“So, currently I've got Seina Saito, she is playing for the Chiefs Manawa. She's here for three months.
“And then I have another international rugby player who's looking at playing club and hopefully NPC.”
Simon said captaincy is something she takes huge pride in.
“I take it really seriously. We've got a huge number of young talent coming through and I just can't wait to see how the program shapes for them in a few years' time because we're still growing, still building. It's exciting.” And if Simon wasn’t a rugby player?
“It would be some sort of extreme sports athlete... I want to say snowboarding, I didn't learn how to do it.
“I just made sure, like from the top of the hill, right down to the bottom, just staying on my feet.”
She wants to look into a business degree, as she’s received a scholarship.
“Then maybe even real estate. That's something that we're looking into - buying a few properties and trying to invest in our future.”