The AIMs Games is visited by the ACC Minister. Made with funding from NZ On Air.
The Aims Games, starting in 2004, has grown to be Australasia’s largest intermediate school tournament.
Last year, 12,660 competitors from 395 schools took part, generating $8.78 million for Tauranga’s economy.
The Aims Games Trust won two Tauranga Business Awards for marketing impact and community engagement.
A sports tournament that started in 2004 with 760 competitors from 17 schools across four sporting codes, has grown to become the biggest of its kind in Australasia - and more than 140 schools are lining up for this year’s event.
After running for two decades, the intermediate school level tournament known as the Aims Games welcomed 12,660 competitors from 395 schools in New Zealand and the Pacific across 27 sporting codes last year.
The Zespri Aims Games has continued to be largely delivered by Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty locals, and hosted within the region across existing sports and recreation facilities.
Henk Popping, ŌtūmoetaiIntermediate principal and chairman of the Aims Games Trust, and Brian Diver, a former Tauranga Intermediate principal, were the ones in the car that started what is now Australasia’s largest intermediate school sporting festival.
Popping said the pair thought it would be great to put their schools up against the “best of the best” in New Zealand rather than just playing against local Tauranga intermediates.
“From that conversation, it led to ‘let’s start a sporting tournament that will be based in Tauranga and be a national tournament’,” he said.
“We started with intermediate schools, but over time that extended to all schools that had Year 7 and 8 students.”
He said the tournament had a “very small beginning” but had continued to grow in size and scope, starting with 17 schools competing to now having over 300 schools.
Aims Games Trust chairman and Ōtūmoetai Intermediate principal Henk Popping. Photo / George Novak
“It certainly has surpassed our expectations from the beginning, and now you can see how much bigger it is and how far the reach of the sports is.
“I think it gives students an opportunity to learn how to win and lose with grace, how to make friends, and interact with a range of people they wouldn’t normally interact with.”
Continued growth and its influence on Tauranga’s economy
Kelly Schischka, tournament director, said managing and adapting to growth over the years came back to event management and looking at operations and logistics.
“Over the last year, we’ve had record numbers, 395 schools from all across New Zealand, from as far down as Southland, as far north as Northland, every place in between, and eight international schools.”
She said Tauranga was proud to host the games and could not do it if it did not have the community buy-in.
“It’s been a lot of hard work to continue to keep ahead of the trends of sports, to introduce new divisions, new ideas, looking at participation levels, and also opportunities for kids from different educational contexts.”
From September 7 to 13 last year, 12,660 intermediate-aged athletes and supporters took part from throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific.
As well, 26,825 attendees came to last year’s event, which generated 79,201 visitor nights and a net benefit of $4.33 million, according to economic impact research conducted last year.
Schischka said the trust was “so lucky” the local community opened their doors to the games and were incredible hosts.
“We get a lot of feedback about how welcome schools feel when they come here, even when going into shops and business owners talk to them about the games and the sports they’re doing, they feel incredibly welcomed when in the city.”
Aims Games rewarded by community
This year’s Tauranga Business Awards recognised the trust as it won two major awards.
The trust won the Newstalk ZB People’s Choice Award – the only award to be voted by the public - and won the award for excellence in marketing impact.
Schischka said for her, it was an “incredible privilege” to work on the event, and everyone involved with the trust were passionate about the kids and the experience they had.
“The recognition is always really special, particularly when it comes from our local community.”
Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley said the trust was an outstanding organisation delivering a significant positive community impact.
Tauranga Business Chamber chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / Mead Norton
“Their impressive multi-platform marketing approach has driven more engagement and enrichment,” Cowley said.
“They have a clear understanding of the importance of storytelling.”
He said the games was a fantastic way of bringing participants together to serve as a central hub for achievements.
“Overall, their impact on enriching participants’ enjoyment of the city and engaging locals is incredible, especially for such a small team.”
Registrations for 2025 opened in March with more than 140 schools already registered for the games taking place from August 30 to September 5.
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
