BACKHere at Rangitoto College, we have the privilege of a wide range of clubs; one of the most recent to be added to the list is Hado. This club is free to play, all gear is provided, and it offers great pathways for players looking to excel. Hado was created in 2014 and began having significant international expansion around 2018–2019. Hado is a 3-on-3 augmented reality sport that combines video game aspects with intense physical activity. Each player is equipped with a motion sensor on their wrist and skill points to choose from, leading to highly strategic situations. Players must allocate stats among ball size, speed, charge speed, and the number of shields they receive in a game. This leads players to take on roles such as shielder or sniper, which require intense communication for effective gameplay.
Following the global expansion, in 2023, the first Hado New Zealand team competed internationally, which included three players from Rangitoto College—Lavay Arora, Richard Peng, and Jakob de Guzman—as well as Isabell Lynch from Westlake Girls, all coached by Connor Green, who went on to become a Technology teacher in 2024 for Rangitoto College. The augmented reality sport was then brought to Rangitoto College in 2024, encouraging a range of students to try Hado. In 2025, another New Zealand Hado team was selected to compete in the World Cup, hosted in Shanghai, China. The team performed strongly, placing 6th worldwide. This team, once again coached by Connor Green, included Rangitoto student Weiqi (Weiky) Huang, one of the youngest players competing on the world stage, and was captained by former Rangitoto student Lavay Arora. In 2026, Hado New Zealand intends to compete again in the World Cup, with many Rangitoto students training hard to prove they deserve a spot in the squad.
In March 2026, Hado New Zealand hosted the world’s first-ever international remote-play tournament, a remarkable feat thanks to the hard work of HadoNZ staff member Jakob de Guzman and his exceptional programming capabilities. The tournament consisted of three countries: Korea (ranked 2nd in the world), Taiwan (ranked 14th), and NZ (ranked 6th). HadoNZ submitted a team coached by Lavay Arora, consisting of four Rangitoto students: Weiqi (Weiky) Huang, Liam Endres, Oliver Hartnall, and the team’s captain, Anshu Muraharishetti. After an impressive performance, the team claimed an undefeated victory, including against Korea’s high school development squad, Meta-X. The remote-play event proved an unusual challenge for players, requiring specific strategies and quick reactions to offset the inability to counter the opposing team effectively. This event served as proof of the New Zealand team’s talent, showing they have the skills to compete at the highest levels. Since its introduction in 2024, Hado has continued to grow as a sport at Rangitoto, with more students joining the club each year.
HadoNZ hosts seasonal tournaments in the school holidays, and Rangitoto students have tended to be in the dominating teams of these tournaments. Consistent performances from Rangitoto students Callum Turver, Liam Endres, and Oliver Hartnall in these tournaments have led to top-three placings each time, with their most recent tournament, the Summer Cup, being won by their team, 3 Chairs. As Hado continues to grow, we see a bright future ahead for Rangitoto students and wish them all the best of luck in future competitions.
