ACES Weekly Buzz

Tēnā koutou katoa parent(s), caregivers, whānau and external providers

In this week's edition of the ACES Weekly Buzz, we celebrate the amazing success of our whakawhanaungatanga and One School event, the ACES Futsal World Cup, held at Action Central, last Monday 9th June. Mauri ora

Date: Monday, 9 June 2025
Location: Action Indoor Sport Central, 911 Dominion Road, Auckland
Organized by: Thelo Meleisea - Community Liaison with support from ACES Professionals Network
Event Type: Futsal Tournament for ACES Maungawhau and Maungarei Campuses
Audience: ACES Students, Staff, Professionals, & Guests

Photos and Videos : Parents, caregivers and Whanau please login to HERO and access here

Event Overview

The inaugural ACES FIFA Futsal Cup 2025 was an action-packed event that brought together seven Roopu teams and a guest Tutor team (lead by MAGS Deputy Principal Corey Todd) to compete in a thrilling round-robin tournament.

Held at Action Indoor Sport Central on Monday, 9 June 2025, this high-energy competition featured some of our guests joining each team, creating an exciting blend of student energy and pro-level expertise.The Cup was a spectacular showcase of skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship, as ACES students represented their Roopu teams, in International Team colours supplied by Action Central.

The event was designed to encourage friendly competition, team spirit and a One School approach across our two Campuses, with an underlying focus on team work and community engagement.

Pre-Event & Practice Day (Friday, 6 June), Action Central with Auckland City Football

The pre-event practice day, held on Friday, 6 June, provided students with an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the rules and practice their skills before the main tournament.

Teams arrived at Action Central throughout the morning, and were greeted by Thelo (Event Coordinator) and Warwick (Action Central Owner) for a brief introduction before being handed over to Nic Downes, Academy Director and Coach Seewa from Auckland City Football Club, for the skills and drills session and tournament orientation.

Team Line-Up and Registration

The event saw a diverse group of Roopu teams competing for the coveted Cup and Plate titles and Best and Fairest prize The teams, made up of students and professionals included:

• Team South Africa: Rutherford - Tash -.Acting Manager

• Team India: Hillary - Ezra - Manager

• Team West Indies: A- Team (Teacher Team) : Corey Todd - Manager

• Team Sri Lanka: Adams - Isaak P - Manager

• Team New Zealand: Jones - Chance and Chris - Managers

• Team Pakistan: Carrington - Mark P - Manager

• Team Australia: Savea - Acting Manager - Chance

• Team England: Blake - Salome - Manager

Special mention to the "A-Team" aka West Indies Team, who were the overall winner "in spirit" but forfeited the right to make the Podium Prize Winners Pool, given no students were on their teams. Team Manager Corey Todd, set the standard high with passionate half time speeches and the People's unofficial choice for best player of the Tournament, went to Hayward for his silky skills shown on offence.

Overall Event Highlights

• Professional Coaching Involvement: The inclusion of AFC Coaches in the lead up and pre-event venue orientation, added an exciting dynamic to the tournament, adding valuable fundamental skills, helping students elevate their game, enjoyment and ultimately engagement.

• Team Spirit: The enthusiasm and energy from the Roopu teams was contagious. Each team demonstrated strong camaraderie and played with a sense of pride and fairplay for their Roopu.

• Professionals and externals Engagement: The event was a huge success in terms of student and staff and ACES professionals engagement, with many joining to cheer on the teams and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

• Shared Lunch and Prizegiving: A huge thank you to our catering team of Apresso Catering and Golden Steak Bakehouse for supplying our delicious kai following the tournament finish. A special mention to Ane for volunteering to pick up our lunches.

• Prizes and Team Photos with Captains were then taken with ACES Manager Karyl and Action Central Owner - Warwick co-presenting to our Podium winners.

Podium Prize Winners

Cup Winner - Team NZ (Jones Roopu) - Maungarei

Cup Runner up - Team India (Hillary Roopu) - Maungawhau

Plate winner -Team Australia (Savea Roopu) - Maungarei

Best and Fairest Team - Team India (Hillary Roopu) - Maungahwau

Tutors of winning teams, please organise prizes directly with Karyl and your Campus leaders.

Post-Event Feedback

For tutors, campus leaders, external providers and professionals involved in making the day successful please complete attached Event evaluation for Thelo and Professionals Committee, to continue to develop and refine our One School Term events.

Student's can also use the above link for Student Voice on the event. I encourage Tutors to share for completion during Roopu and reflection time.

Finally thank you all for making ACES FIFA Futsal Cup 2025 a massive success, delivering a massively succesful and fun-filled event. Stand by for detail in our final weekly buzz edition, of our Term 3 event.

Acknowledgments: A huge thank you to the following;

• Warwick (Action Central Owner) for providing the venue, referees, tournament scoring systems and jerseys.

• Corey Todd - For organising Venue Discount and uniforms;

• Our awesome ACES Professionals: Marshal Hall, John Tuitama, Sam Paulin, Doug Tausili, Adam Latoa, Tevita Tai, Kerry Knox, Micah McMillan and associates, for coming through and supporting our day.

• Campus leaders - Salome and Ane for setting expectations and doing the best to drive attendance on our toughest attendance which is a monday

• Damien Fogarty - For helping lead the Teacher team and supporting Thelo with that all important morning coffee. Shot uce :)!

• AFC Academy and Coaches for their time and expertise. Look forward to building this new connection.

• ACES Students for bringing an amazing spirit to our One School event;

• John Tuitama for supporting Thelo as MC for the day and Marshal Hall for supporting with presence and being a constant support in our planning for these events;

• ACES Tutors for providing leadership on the day and driving your respective Roopu during the comp.

• Karyl Puklowski - For presenting awards and financing the event

• Natasha Guiry - For lending her photography skills to capture some of the amazing moments during the day.

In memoriam

As event organiser my personal motivation behind organising this event was to honour the memory of Buchanan Niuapu. He was honoured during the day though music, with the curated playlist based on his favourite Earth Wind and Fire and old skool tracks creating "Ambience". Buchanan loved nothing more than to see ACES students and Tutors come together as One School, with our professionals team - demonstrating our ACES "Kanohi Kitea" value of connection; and competing with smiling faces and fairplay. As John Tuitama shared in our event Opening, "This one goes out to you much beloved uso...Ia manuia!" Thelo Meleisea

18 June - NO SCHOOL! Tutor PLD Day

20 June - Matariki - Statutory Holiday

25th June - Wednesday (NO HALF DAY)

26th June - Thursday (Half Day)

27th June - NO SCHOOL! Tutor PLD Day

Term 3 Reminder

14 July - Whakawhanaungatanga Day and

New Students / Whanau Greet and Meet 9.30am - 12.30pm

15 July - New Students Induction

16 July - Term 2 Students Return

17 and 18 July - All Students 9.30am - 12.30pm

Please go to attached LINK here to see previous editions on our Public domain.

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