GENERAL INFORMATION

Date

Monday 1st to Friday 5th September 2025

Venue

Gordon Spratt Reserve, Papamoa

Costs

$960.00 per team (NZ$) 

Plus, an additional $1,000.00 if you do not supply your own referee (NZ$)

Entries Open

Online registrations open on Friday March 14th 2025, at 9:00 AM

Entries Close

Online registrations close on Wednesday May 28th 2025, at 7:59 PM

CONTACT

Email: info@nzaimsgames.co.nz

PLANNING INFORMATION

Costs

• Schools are required to pay the entry fee of $960.00 per team (NZ$).

• Should a referee be required, then there is an additional cost of $1,000.00 for the week (NZ$).

• Strictly non-refundable.

• School teams that withdraw from the Zespri AIMS Games after May 28th 2025, will lose their tournament entry fee and will be excluded from participating in Zespri AIMS Games for the next two years.

• Payment MUST be made within seven days of receipt of invoice.

• Invoices will be sent to the school accounts manager after the entry closing date, Wednesday 28th May 2025.

Entries Close

• Wednesday 28th May 2025 at 7:59 PM.

• Entries to the 2025 Zespri AIMS Games must be submitted online through the online registration system. 

• Registrations will only be accepted from the school's designated Zespri AIMS Games Coordinator. 

• Schools are allocated a unique Zespri AIMS Games registration log in code to complete their entries. 

Competitor's Age

Competitors must be over 10 years of age and under 13 years of age, as at 31st December the year before the tournament year. Competitor’s birthdates will be required on school registration documentation. For the 2025 Zespri AIMS Games, the eligible birth years are 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Divisions

• Boys 9 Aside Division (maximum 14 registered players)

• Girls 9 Aside Division (maximum 14 registered players)

• Schools may enter one team in each of the following divisions – Football 9 Aside Boys and Football 9 Aside Girls.

• Year 7 and Year 8 division combined (there is no restriction on the year group ration, e.g., Football teams can be all year 8 students, all year 7 students or a combination of both).

• To ensure players are given equal opportunities the AIMS Games Trust recommends all players get a minimum of half a game's play, per game.

• If registration for an activity is oversubscribed, then the opportunity to participate will be at the discretion of the executive committee and no further correspondence will be entered into (if unsuccessful the registration fee will be refunded). The four semi-finalists in the 2024 tournament have first right of entry.

Multiple Sporting Codes

• Students may compete in more than one sporting code, provided they are in line with the permitted code crossovers. 

• Timetable allowances will not be made for any competitors, and it is the sole responsibility of the school to check for programming conflicts. 

• Students in the 2025 Zespri AIMS Games can compete in only one team sport.  This means that students competing in Football strictly cannot also compete in the following sporting codes – 3x3 Basketball, 5-Aside Basketball, Futsal, Hockey, Netball, Rip Rugby, Rugby Sevens or Water Polo.

PROGRAMME

REFEREES

1. The organising committee will appoint referees to matches.  Referees will not officiate their own team.

2. School referees MUST be available to referee whenever they are scheduled to.

3. Participating teams are required to provide a referee with a minimum qualification of L1 (Level 1 Referee).

4. Should a school require a referee to be provided, then there is an additional cost of $1,000.00 (NZ$) for the week (indication of requiring a paid referee is to be recorded on the initial registration form).

5. If referee details are not provided schools will be invoiced $1,000.00 (NZ$) and will be supplied a referee.

6. Any school which contacts the Zespri AIMS Games team in relation to requesting a referee after the deadline will be charged a 50% late referee registration fee.

RULES

1. All games will be a maximum of 20-minute halves during pool play, quarter finals, semi-finals, and finals.

2. Teams to provide their own first aid kit.

3. Teams to provide their own-coloured bibs.

4. All players’ shirts MUST be clearly numbered on the back. The number on the player’s shirt MUST match the number allocated to them in the match programme.

5. Shin pads must be worn on the field at all times.

6. NZF Junior Framework 9 v 9 playing format, this includes the retreating line.

7. 9 a-side - maximum of 14 registered players per team. Girls may play as a part of a Boys team, only if a school does not have enough players to field a Girls team. In this instance, a maximum of two girls is permitted.

8. Rolling substitutions apply.

9. Offside rule applies, as per NZF Junior Framework 9 v 9 playing format.

10. A No. 4 match ball will be provided for all matches.

11. Games will be kept to time by the Referee – no stoppage time.

12. Maximum field size 70m x 50m.

13. Goal size ¾ size.

14. Coaches/managers are responsible for signing the score card at the end of the match, confirming the correct score.

15. All head coaches are required to have attended an NZF Youth Level 1 course. A course will be held within your local federation, and in Tauranga one week before (venue and times are to be confirmed).

16. All team managers are required to have their team’s medical forms with them throughout the week.

17. All teams will be placed into pools based on a combination of 2024 seedings and a geographic spread. Seedings will be at the tournament organiser’s discretion.

MEDAL PRESENTATION

The top three placed teams in the Championship division (boys and girls) will be presented with their medals, the top three placed teams in the Plate and Bowl divisions (boys and girls) will be presented with their certificates at the prize giving at the conclusion of the finals on Friday 5th September 2025.