Zespri AIMS Games: Dilworth boarding school travels from Rotorua to Tauranga for games

The Dilworth rugby sevens team. Photo / Dave Lintott, lintottphoto.co.nz

A boarding school is using the 50-minute travel time from Rotorua to Tauranga for the Zespri AIMS Games to its advantage.

Auckland’s Dilworth School team are staying at a Rotorua campsite during the intermediate-aged sporting tournament on September 2 to 8, after being unable to find accommodation in Tauranga for the week.

But the team is using the travel time for team talks and playing “hype music” to prepare for their basketball and rugby games.

Rugby sevens coach Tim Timotea said the team are in “good spirits” as they got to experience both cities, finding Rotorua a “beautiful and perfect” place to stay.

“We chose Rotorua because we were last minute coming to AIMS last year and it was difficult to find a place to stay.

“But we liked the place, it suits us and there’s a lot more to do over there.”

The school hired vans to transport them between Tauranga and Rotorua, providing them an opportunity to “mingle after games and enjoy themselves”.

The team are staying at Keswick Christian Camp, next to Lake Rotorua, and was planning to visit the “beautiful” Redwoods again.

“We’re a boarding school so for them to be able to get out is an eye opener for them,” Timotea said. “For some of them, this is the first time leaving Auckland.”

Basketball coach Yaran Ghassemi said: “We are excited to get the chance to represent the school”.

It was the first time the school had brought a rugby sevens team to the AIMS Games, and their second year for basketball.

Ghassemi said the AIMS Games set the young athletes up “really well”.

“They learn life experiences here. It teaches them to be a part of a community, and to be good role models.”

“It teaches them both how to be a kid and how to grow up. It feels good to be a part of this.”

Harriet Laughton is a journalism student at Auckland University of Technology.