A team of current and former footballers will visit the Zespri Aims Games next month to help young athletes build resilience, confidence and wellbeing.

LifeChanger Foundation will set up a wellbeing hub at Gordon Spratt Reserve in Pāpāmoa during the games from September 7-10 through its partnership with the Auckland FC Foundation.

The initiative will be led by LifeChanger programme manager Mike den Heijer, who represented New Zealand at age-group level and has played professionally in New Zealand and overseas.

Den Heijer said the opportunity to connect with young athletes at Aims was about helping them understand that success extends beyond the scoreboard.

“Winning championships is special but helping a young person believe in themselves can have an impact that lasts a lifetime.”

He said sport taught valuable lessons about handling pressure, overcoming setbacks and backing yourself when “things get tough”.

“Those skills matter long after the final whistle, and that’s what we want to share with young people at Aims.”

The LifeChanger marquee provides a space for athletes, teachers and whānau to connect, take part in activities and learn practical strategies for managing challenges on and off the field.

“Sport provides an incredible platform to teach young people about resilience, teamwork, confidence and purpose,” den Heijer said.

“We want young people to leave Aims not just with memories of their competition, but with tools they can take back to school, home and their everyday lives.”

Visitors will also have the chance to see Auckland FC silverware and hear from players about their experiences in elite sport.

Former professional footballer Cameron Lindsay, Auckland United player Matt McConroy and former United States college footballer Nick Burgess will also be involved in the programme.

Since launching in New Zealand in 2022, the LifeChanger Foundation says it has delivered wellbeing programmes to more than 40,000 young people.

Founder Scott Watters said the organisation focused on helping young people develop resilience.

“Our vision has always been to help young people realise their potential before they reach crisis point.”

The Zespri Aims Games attracts thousands of intermediate-aged competitors from across New Zealand each year and runs in Tauranga from September 5 to 11.