The Mighty Ducks: Paraparaumu Beach School’s remarkable run at Aims Games

Paraparaumu Beach School's hockey team won silver at the Aims Games.

A Paraparaumu Beach School hockey team impressed mightily at the Aims Games, winning a silver medal thanks to a lot of dedication and a coach who got the players to reach for the stars.

The Aims Games, for 11 to 13-year-olds, were held in Tauranga and attracted a number of schools and thousands of athletes across a wide range of sports.

The team’s coach, Rachel Steinmetz, was approached last year by a group of enthusiastic hockey girls who wanted to participate in the competition.

“I agreed to coach them on the condition that they commit 100% and put in the hard work required.”

And hard work was needed as Steinmetz was an ex-Black Sticks player who played more than 100 games for New Zealand, including matches at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.

Second place is truly remarkable for a small school like ours.

Rachel Steinmetz

“I don’t think many fully appreciated the intensity of the training I demanded from these girls.

“We held three training sessions per week including fitness, penalty corner drills, and team practices,” said Steinmetz.

“These girls were pushed both physically and mentally, and they consistently rose to the challenge.

“In addition to this, the girls were moved to the junior boys’ competition in order to seek stronger opposition and develop their game further.”

The Paraparaumu Beach School girls' hockey team.

The team finished ninth in last year’s Aims Games hockey competition and has continued to train hard, leading to this month’s competition.

The team, called The Mighty Ducks, was the only full primary school in the hockey competition comprising 32 teams.

“The girls played 19 games losing only their first and last,” said Steinmetz.

“Our competition included mostly intermediate and some high schools with extensive hockey programmes and a large pool of players to select from.

“The team that beat us in the final, Kamo Intermediate, uses the Aims Games as part of their recruitment process and has a successful history of producing many Black Sticks players.

“Despite these challenges, our girls represented themselves, their families, and our school with honour and pride every time they donned their playing strip.”

The final marked the last time the girls would play together.

“Our last team talk focused on playing for friendship and creating memories that will last a lifetime.

“Second place is truly remarkable for a small school like ours.”

Steinmetz felt “privileged to have worked with such a dedicated and coachable group of girls”.

“In an era where junior sports often only emphasise fun and fairness, the Aims Games also celebrate excellence and competitiveness.

“All 13,500 athletes who attend these games aspire to achieve podium finishes and this little team from Paraparaumu Beach School did just that.”

The Paraparaumu Beach School team, aka The Mighty Ducks, comprised Holly McCullagh (captain), Phoebe Corin (vice-captain), Quin Steinmetz, Amy Summers, Keely Collier-Fiske, Mia Thomson, Kyra Pulepule, Sienna Carter, Danika Stratford, Lulu Collett.