Mount Maunganui Intermediate’s Rip Rugby team will leave no player behind for this year’s Zespri Aims Games.

Kicking off this Saturday, September 2, nearly 12,000 intermediate-aged athletes will flood Tauranga for the games.

However, some young competitors have had their sporting hopes dashed just ahead of getting their game face on for this annual event. In her final year of Aims Games, Year 8 Mount Maunganui Intermediate student Jade Dudson-Moko suffered a sportsperson’s worst nightmare after injuring herself last month, being forced to pull out of the competition.

Injury setbacks

“I was playing Tai Mitchell rugby six weeks ago and I tried to step someone and my knee just popped,” says Jade.

“I screamed when it happened… I was referred to a specialist and he said I’d snapped my ACL and tore my meniscus. I just cried.”

Her Mount Maunagnui Intermediate Rip Rugby team have refused to leave Jade out of trainings leading up to the games, however.

“Jade is one of our best players and we had to pull in a new player, which was a bit niggly,” says co-captain Milla Cudby.

“We've decided as a team that we really want to keep her involved so she's going to come help us with warmups and just stay with us as part of our team.” Last week the team got Tauranga City Council’s Te Kaiwhakatere – TrailRider to take Jade up Mauao for some team bonding and fitness.

Along for the ride

“Te Kaiwhakatere – TrailRider is a great way to access some of the more hard-to-reach spots and we’d love to see more people using it,” says Tauranga City Council inclusive cities advisor, Tan Phuangdokmai.

“Te Kaiwhakatere – TrailRider is available to everyone in our community who have permanent or temporary access needs such as sports injuries, limited mobility or a disability.”

With an operation coming up at the end of this month, Jade says she gets back to training in nine months but can’t play sports for 12.

Year 8 student, Jade Dudson-Moko on the Te Kaiwhakatere – TrailRider supported by her Mount Maunganui Intermediate Rip Rugby teammates. Photo: Jamie Troughton.

“Even though I can’t play, I’m still looking forward to AIMS and the experience of it.  It’s really fun and you get to spend a week with lots of other people and make lots of friends,” says Jade.

“We’ve got a really good team spirit at Mount Intermediate and we just don't throw people away – that’s why we want to keep Jade involved,” says co-captain, Carter Horton.