News
Nearly 11,000 cheese rolls. That's what it cost to get a group of Year 7 and 8 boys from Southland Boys' High School to the Zespri AIMS Games in Tauranga this September.
Nine hundred dozen, if you're counting by the box. About ten per kilometre from Invercargill to the Bay of Plenty. Enough that coach Brendan Parker is quietly relieved the rolling is done — though he admitted during the interview that a couple were toasting behind him for morning tea.
"The parents have been amazing this year with the fundraising. They knew the target we had to get to and they've worked really hard. We've done a few things to keep the cost down and our sponsors have been amazing. We've done raffles and sausage sizzles, we've been so well supported by the community and by the school," Parker said.
The community response has been sustained across months of Facebook posts and fundraising tables. Parker knows goodwill has limits.
"It's one of those things, I'm sure our friends and family have been rolling their eyes every time they see the next fundraiser come up on Facebook, but they've stuck with it and supported us along the way. The way the boys can pay that back is making sure they put in a solid effort up in Tauranga."
The AIMS Games, running September 5 to 11, draw around 14,000 competitors aged 11 to 13 across nearly 30 sports, making it one of the largest junior sporting events in Australasia.
For the Parkers, getting there carries something extra. Last year, Boys' High made its first-ever appearance at the AIMS Games — and Brendan's son Eli watched the entire tournament from the sidelines with his arm in a sling, having broken his wrist practising dunks on a lower hoop with his cousin just a week before the team flew out. The family travelled anyway.
"The team tried to include him as much as possible but he looked like a bit of a sad sack on the sidelines with his arm in a sling," Parker said. "But it was awesome supporting the boys in Tauranga. They do it so, so well. We were really surprised how welcoming the community was and how many people reached out and were really generous with their time and communication."
Having been to plenty of tournaments, Parker says the AIMS Games operates at a different level — in hospitality, organisation and the quality of competition.
"In terms of getting back there this year it was a no-brainer for us — to get Eli actually onto the court and participating and also because it was such a good experience last year and we wanted to show the new group this year what it was like so we could keep this thing going. It's just so well run, and it's something the boys will never forget."
Eli is the only returning player from last year's squad. He's measured about what he missed.
"It was pretty sad last year," he said. "At least I got to go and experience it and watch my team mates play. I could cheer and hand out water bottles and that sort of stuff."
Injury avoidance has become a running joke in the programme. Archie Frew — son of southern netballing great Wendy Frew — also missed out on playing last year after going down on the eve of the tournament. Eli is well aware of the history.
"Everyone has been telling me to watch out and be safe."
This year's squad is smaller in stature than last year's, but Parker isn't concerned. "This group is significantly smaller in size, but their effort in training, if that converts onto the court in those game situations, will mean they'll be really competitive."