For many, it was their first time leaving home, made possible by months of fundraising through sausage sizzles, wood chopping and car washes.
Each team was paired with a “buddy club” from another region or country, encouraged to support one another, share kai and exchange gifts. Campbell said the system and the overall tournament brought families together “in a world where so much pulls us apart”.
Rotorua’s Marist St Michaels are returning, as they have every year since the festival began, sending four teams across the under-10 to under-13 grades.
Club coach and junior board secretary Jill Dinniss said that each year “the vibe was incredible” and the kids were left feeling “empowered”.
Dinniss said players were always pooled with teams of similar ability, so even after a tough season, they arrived to play competitive games. With weight-restricted and open grades, no player was turned away.
“I don’t think a single person has ever said it wasn’t worth the effort or the cost,” Dinniss said.
Rotorua’s Marist St Michael’s club has been part of the festival every year since it began, this year sending four teams across the under-10 to under-13 grades. Pictured is the under-13 team. Photo / Supplied
Sustainability was also at the core of the event. After 2019, when skip bins overflowed with rubbish, Campbell said he had felt “embarrassed”.
Organisers partnered with Queenstown-based group Without Waste to make this year’s festival zero-waste, diverting more than 90% of waste from landfill. Teams sorted their waste, vendors used compostable packaging, and single-use cups were banned.
Taupō Mayor David Trewavas said the festival was one of the district’s biggest events, delivering a major economic boost.
“We love the excitement and vibrancy it brings to our district,” Trewavas said. Local supermarkets, motels, campgrounds and hostels were among the main beneficiaries.
Trewavas praised organisers for their waste-free commitment, supporting the council’s push to reduce landfill and eliminate single-use items.
Sport had an “amazing ability” to bring people together, Trewavas said, and this festival was a “wonderful example of that connection in practice”.
The four-day festival opens with a ceremony at Owen Delany Park tomorrow before games begin on Friday. Matches, buddy team activities and community events run through the weekend, closing with a prizegiving on Sunday.
Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.