The Global Games team on the red carpet at the New Zealand Event Awards.

The Global Games New Zealand Junior Rugby Festival has been named Sports Event of the Year and Sustainable Event Initiative of the Year at the New Zealand Event Awards.

Global Games founder Tyrone Campbell says the awards mark the realisation of an idea that first took shape while travelling overseas nearly two decades ago.

“I remember sitting around a campfire in Glencoe, in the Highlands of Scotland, when I first had the idea of using sport and travel to bring communities together and create lifelong memories for the 95 per cent of young people who didn’t make representative teams,” said Campbell.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think that idea would one day be recognised as New Zealand’s Sport Event of the Year.”

Official judges applauded Global Games for being the “standout of the evening”, a double recognition of both the scale of the festival and the sustainability practices built into its delivery.

Teams in action at Owen Delany Park in Taupō last year.

They said Global Games was the clear winner for Sports Event of the Year, ticking every box of what an event should be.

Judges say the Global Games have created a legacy on sustainability practices at large scale events.

Campbell says the awards are a tribute to the small and dedicated Global Games team working behind the scenes throughout the year.

“The event weekend is only the visible part. Behind it are months of planning, registrations, team support, operations, partnerships, communications, health and safety, referee coordination, sustainability work and constant problem-solving.

“Our team continually goes above and beyond because they genuinely care about the experience we create for every child, team and family. This recognition belongs to them.”

Campbell said the awards also belonged to the thousands of people who have supported and participated in Global Games over the years.

“They belong to every club that has travelled, every child who has pulled on a jersey, every parent on the sideline and every coach, manager, referee and volunteer who has believed in what we are trying to achieve.”

“It takes an enormous amount of work from club volunteers to make these experiences possible. There is endless fundraising, organising and travelling, often carried out by mums, dads and other family members on top of everything else they are already juggling.

“Our clubs and communities are the backbone of Global Games. Without them, none of this exists.”

Campbell also acknowledged the councils, host communities, venues, sponsors, suppliers and community partners that have supported the growth of the festival.

“We are incredibly grateful to Taupō District Council and the wider Taupō community for welcoming our teams, and to the venues, sponsors and partners who continue to believe in our vision.”

The Sustainable Event Initiative award recognises the transformation of the festival’s environmental impact, supported by Global Games’ sustainability partner, Without Waste.

“They have helped take us from an event that once produced a significant amount of waste to achieving zero-waste status,” said Campbell.

From its grassroots beginnings, Global Games has grown into one of New Zealand’s leading junior sports event organisations while remaining true to its community-first values.

Global Games is now working towards its goal of connecting one million people through its festivals and community initiatives by 2035.

Campbell said the recognition was not the finish line, but encouragement to keep building.

“If a simple idea around a campfire can become this, imagine what we can achieve together over the next decade.”

For more information and to view the event schedule, visit globalgames.co.nz