A Week at the AIMS Games
I am at the AIMS Games this week as a team manager. The scale is extraordinary: there are more athletes here than at the Paris Olympics, with schools from across New Zealand, as well as the Cook Islands and Fiji. The energy, competition, and spirit are unforgettable.
For the young athletes, this is a chance to compete, grow, and be inspired. For me, it is a privilege to witness this and it is also a chance to reflect on the deeper lessons sport teaches us.
A Message That Stops Me in My Tracks
At the opening ceremony, we heard from Dame Sophie Pascoe, Noah Hotham, and Dame Lisa Carrington. Each brought a powerful perspective, but one comment stood out for me.
Dame Sophie Pascoe, New Zealand’s most decorated Paralympian, shared that she learned to lean into her difference and it became her superpower.
In a country where Tall Poppy Syndrome too often tells us to shrink ourselves, this is powerful. Being different is not something to hide. It is something to embrace. Our differences are not flaws. They are our edge, our strength, our superpowers.
Tall Poppy Syndrome vs Rewilding
Tall Poppy Syndrome is a well-known part of New Zealand culture. It says that standing out is dangerous, that it is safer to fit the mould, to not grow taller, brighter, or different. What if we turn this mindset on its head?
There is a growing movement in the natural world called rewilding. Instead of cutting back and controlling every plant to fit a uniform pattern, rewilding encourages gardens and landscapes to flourish in their natural diversity. Wildflowers, tall grasses, and unique plants grow together, creating something resilient, beautiful, and thriving.
Imagine if our workplaces, schools, and communities are more like rewilded gardens. Not rows of sameness, but thriving landscapes where difference is celebrated, encouraged, and valued.
The Ripple Effect Award and the Spirit of the Games
This spirit of embracing difference echoes throughout the Games. A new award debuts this year: the Ripple Effect Award. The trophy itself is a Dame Lisa Carrington paddle 💥.
The Ripple Effect Award celebrates teams who make waves not just through performance, but through positivity, spirit, and connection. It is about showing up with heart, uplifting others, and creating a ripple of good vibes across the whole of the Games. It recognises that the impact of sport extends far beyond the scoreboard.
Creating Ripples of Change
If we each lean into our differences the way Dame Sophie Pascoe does, and if we celebrate the differences in others, the ripple effect is profound. Like the teams recognised by the Ripple Effect Award, our actions lift others up, spreading kindness, courage, and inspiration.
The AIMS Games remind me that while competition is central, the true legacy comes from the spirit we bring. When we embrace difference, when we rewild our thinking, and when we lift each other up, we create ripples that extend far beyond a single event.
That ripple effect can change everything
👉 What difference do you rewild in yourself, or in your workplace, school, or home, when you stop trimming it back?
👉 And what ripple effect does that create for the people around you?
P.S., HUGE congratulations to the inaugural Ripple Effect Award winner, Te Puru School Rip Rugby Team 👏
