Mount Maunganui Intermediate's soccer boys are proud to be representing their school at the AIMS Games.
Speaking to the Bay of Plenty Times yesterday afternoon, the boys had already won two games and were confident heading into their third.
Joe Chiari, 13, said the team had been training for about seven weeks.
"We've been working really hard to get here. And we've won two games to start off."
Joe said the boys had to play six pool games, then if they did well, they would go through to the next part of the competition.
"Then we'll go to the finals if we make it, hopefully."
Cohen Radich, 12, said he and his teammates were "absolutely excited" about competing at the games, and wanted to do Mount Maunganui proud.
He believed the team's chances of winning the football competition were fairly high.
"We've played really good so far, passing the ball around with good team work."
Cohen hoped to be able to get around and watch some other events - but he would be cheering "strictly only for Mount teams".
Jordan Toy, 12, said the team came second last year. He said the event was a lot of fun.
Charlie Beale, 13, said most of the boys in the team played club football and federation football. They were all from different teams.
Team manager Chrissy Toy, a teacher at the intermediate, said it had been hard getting all the boys to learn to work together as on weekends, they were from rival teams.
She said being able to train during school time had helped forge them into a team.
"They've trained really well and are very focused."