Jonah Kautu Academy wins Community Sports Initiative Award

The Jonah Kautu Academy (JKA) secured the 34th SP Sports Awards Community Sports Initiative of the Year held on Saturday night, 30 May 2026, at the Crown Hotel in Port Moresby.

Established in 2023 by Jonah Kautu, a former PNG Pukpuks fly-half, the JKA aspires to develop grassroots rugby union in the country. The academy runs development programs for children aged 6 to 16. It also acts as a vital pathway for local players, helping them secure professional contracts in Australia and internationally.

The academy had a transformational year in 2025, continuing its strong impact on grassroots rugby development across Papua New Guinea. It delivered 30 weeks of structured rugby clinics and festivals in NCD, giving children consistent opportunities to learn, compete, and grow through sport.

JKA founder Jonah Kautu was humbled to receive the award: “This concept is based on the passion for sports to mentor and nurture the kids at a younger age, so I’m privileged to be recognized with this award.

“We realized the importance of getting junior development right at the fundamental level. I would say it’s purely the passion we have for the sport that drives us to establish the academy.

“We have a vision to develop the academy in the next 10 to 15 years. It’s the passion that pushes us to go out and establish a solid development pathway system for rugby union in the future.” 

The JKA founder thanked the academy's sponsors for their support, including the kids’ parents, the people who voted for the academy, the SP Sports Awards Panel, and those within the rugby union circle. 

Kautu admitted that there have been challenges in terms of getting more girls' participation in the program. However, he noted that the number of girls had improved significantly, showing promising signs of gender equality in the academy.

Mr. Kautu revealed that the JKA had sent 16 players to Australia in the last three years, having long-term plans to send more players abroad to work and play there. The academy has gained traction and popularity in three years and will continue to grow. 

Despite rugby union being suspended temporarily by Oceania Rugby, Kautu hopes that the ban will be lifted sooner rather than later. He also called for partnerships to mentor emerging players and restore the code to its glory days.