Record Cook Islands contingent competes at Zespri AIMS Games in New Zealand

Cook Islands took part in the Zespri AIMS Games this year, with five schools from Rarotonga and one from Aitutaki travelling to Tauranga in New Zealand to compete in the annual event. Photo _ Dominic Gasparich/26091310

A record contingent from the Cook Islands took part in the Zespri AIMS Games this year, with five schools from Rarotonga and one from Aitutaki travelling to Tauranga in New Zealand to compete in the annual event.

The AIMS Games is New Zealand’s biggest school sporting tournament, hosted annually in Tauranga. It ran from September 5-11.

This year saw a record 14,506 entries from 467 schools, including 11 international schools from Australia, the Cook Islands and Fiji. Athletes aged 11-13 competed across 27 sporting codes.

The Cook Islands has been represented at most AIMS Games since Apii Avarua School and Nukutere College first sent badminton players in 2016.

This year, Apii Avarua School sent a Rip Rugby team for the first time, while Nukutere College, Apii Te Uki Ou School, Titikaveka College and Apii Nikao Primary School all had badminton players competing, with Apii Nikao also sending Moeana Matheson as a tennis player.

There were also eight badminton players from Araura College in Aitutaki.

It was the first time the Rarotongan school competed in Rip Rugby at AIMS, finishing 35th in a tough competition with 99 teams.

Coach William Henry Heather said he was impressed with the team’s performance, coming away with mostly wins and only a few losses.

“So, in general, we’re doing pretty good,” he said on the sidelines after one of their matches.

“I couldn’t expect more.”

For many of the Apii Avarua players, this was their first time playing Rip Rugby and their first time competing at AIMS.

“In the islands we don’t have much competition, it’s just us playing against each other, so we were looking for that next excitement overseas, that’s why we thought we’ll put in a team,” coach Heather said ahead of the tournament.

The team worked hard in the lead up to the event, training almost every day, both at school and at their local rugby club.

“Definitely there’s a big change, not just skill wise, also attitude wise and our discipline,” Heather said.

“Quite a lot of them this is their first time, which is actually exciting as well. So, a learning curve for them and also for me as a coach as well.”

He hoped the team would return home to Rarotonga with “that experience from what we’ve learned and hopefully we can grow the sport bigger in the Cook Islands and I’m hoping that we’ll do it as an annual thing to go over every year”.

Apii Avarua team captain Treyvhon Kae, 13, noted the intensity of the matches and said it had been “fun” but also “cold”.

“I love playing rugby and representing my school,” he said. “I will always try my best to help my team.”Kae said he had enjoyed spending time with his friends as well as meeting new people around the large Bay Oval sports ground in Mount Maunganui.

Raupine Tereapii, 12, acknowledged the positive atmosphere of the tournament and the spirit with which the games were played.

“We have respect for each other, and the teams we’ve been playing so far are being very kind, humble and I love that.”She was enjoying the experience of getting to play overseas with her friends, “and just enjoying the sport with other teams”.

“When I first knew I was selected to be part of the team, I was very grateful for the opportunity,” Tereapii said.

“It’s my first time playing in this game and it’s not that scary but it’s very competitive.”Team manager Teumere Koteka-Heather, speaking in the lead up to the event, said getting to Tauranga for the AIMS Games was “a big huge community effort” with a lot of fundraising and parents working together to make it happen. It was all worth it.

“In the long run our kids will get that exposure and that experience and hopefully we’ll be able to turn that into an annual thing.”- Morris Nafurari/AIMS Games