The Zespri AIMS Games is Australasia’s largest junior sporting event, held annually in Tauranga Moana. Celebrating diversity, the Games provides an opportunity for adolescents aged 10-12 years from all demographics and education contexts to compete in sporting competitions, to meet others from outside their normal peer group, and to learn and build on their social interaction skills. The Zespri AIMS Games is highly regarded by national education and sporting organisations and is considered a leader in its area. 27 sports are available to play with 2024 registering 12,500 competitors from over 390 schools from around New Zealand and the Pacific.
One country from outside New Zealand that had players competing at the Zespri AIMS Games in Tauranga is Cook Islands. This badminton community are very proactive with their junior development programme with this event playing an important part in the start of the pathway after being a part of the global grassroots Shuttle Time programme in their school.
Zespri AIMS Games comes under the Badminton Oceania Tier 4 player development programme which is the first step between Shuttle Time and playing a competitive badminton tournament. The objective of this development programme is to give athletes from the Pacific their first international badminton experience at a level where they can compete with other players of similar age and ability. Players from Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga have all participated in the Zespri AIMS Games since 2016, with the Cook Islands prioritising this event in their programme as regular attendees at the Games.
The development of players from the Cook Islands is often held up as an example to other countries in the region as to how a planned development programme can be achieved. Over the years we have been able to track the progress of players from Shuttle Time, to AIMS Games, to other Badminton Oceania led development camps and tournaments, to Oceania Junior Championships through to the BWF World Junior Championships where the Cook Islands will play for the second consecutive year. Key to the development of the players has been the development of coaches from Shuttle Time Teacher to Oceania Foundation to BWF Level 1.
At the Games last week the Cook Islands had 16 players from six schools in Rarotonga and the outer island of Aitutaki. Included in their travelling group were three BWF Level 1 Coaches and several parents to ensure that the players got the most out of this opportunity both on and off the court. To participate at the Zespri AIMS Games, players and their families work hard in the build-up, fundraising for the tournament. The National Federation seeks out funding from businesses in the Cook Islands while individual players fundraise by selling food at the local supermarket and events on the island such as the recent Oceania Masters In Paradise tournament. The juniors along with their parents provided a local flavour for players, serving up delicious delicacies for lunch.
Notable results from the Cook Island players include Numangatani Heather-Halston and Trudeinus Tuaputa winning the division 2 mixed doubles as well as AJ Paiti and Chaplin William winning the division 4 boys’ doubles. Several players made it through to quarterfinals and semifinals in their respective events. The matches are a great opportunity for the players to develop and gain much needed experience out of island.
Click here for the full list of results.
