OUR VISION To establish basketball as one of the top four sports in New Zealand. OUR PURPOSE To involve as many people as possible in basketball. BASKETBALL NEW ZEALAND Patron Jenny Shipley dcnzm President Barbara Wheadon mnzm Board Members Justin Toebes* (vice president) John Gallaher Martin Lewington David Perry Mel Young Simon Young Ivan Yukich* FIBA Representation Auditors Barbara Wheadon mnzm (FIBA Oceania President/ BDO Spicers FIBA Central Board Member) Justin Toebes (FIBA Oceania Management Committee) National Offi ce Staff David McCalman (FIBA Council For Persons With A Disability) Chief Executive(s) Simon Young (FIBA Commonwealth Commission) David Crocker* Mel Young (FIBA Youth Commission) Bryn McGoldrick Life Members Andrew Alleway Marketing Manager Michael Bennington* NBL Manager Peter Christian Jenny Brownlee Administration Assistant Peter Crowhen Terry Brunel Field Development Offi cer Cedric Cudby mnzm Grant Chapman Communications Manager Graeme Davey Leslie Dal Cin* Performance Group General Manager Robbie Dyce Oliver Dudfi eld Coach Education & Development Manager Maurie Henshall Bill Eldred Field Development Offi cer Keith Mair Alan Godden National Tournaments & Referees Manager Basil Marsh (qsm) Leonard King High Performance Head Coach David Rout Hannah Lander* Executive Assistant Hori Th ompson Tom Radomski Tournaments Administrator Betty Williams Saileen Raj Business Manager Ross Williams Glenda Rodger Field Development Team Leader Barry Wilson Colette Steer* National Teams & Events Manager National Basketball League Directors Rosie Sutcliff e Administration Assistant Interim Executive Assistant Simon Young (Chairman) Jane Th ackray Field Development Offi cer Ari Hallenberg* Performance Group General Manager Tom Hyde* Natalie Tong Athlete Services Co-ordinator Stephen Layburn Chris Varcoe Field Development Offi cer Alison Parker Tracy Walley Executive Assistant Barry Wilson* Interim CEO * left during 2006 Pictures supplied by Photosport, Sylvia Wilkins and Jim Helsel. Basketball New Zealand Annual Report 2006 1 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Th e past year has been very busy and sometimes diffi cult. While we can congratulate ourselves over the successes of the past four years — successes that have built a certain level of confi dence within the organisation — nothing prepared us for 2006. When I analyse the results, of course, He promotes a team approach, but will We continue to be blessed with sup- they have been amazing. Silver med- search out key personnel who share a port from FIBA. Th anks to FIBA Ocea- als for the Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns at vision and relish the opportunity to grow nia secretary general Steve Smith, who the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, with an organisation. works hard on our behalf for solidarity along with improved world rankings for Basketball in NZ is now at a crucial funds to help develop basketball in New both teams and a 12th placing at the FIBA stage in its development as a major par- Zealand, and FIBA secretary general Pat- World Championships for the men. ticipation and performance sport. Over rick Baumann and his staff , who are al- Th e Junior Tall Blacks won a gold recent years, we believe we have been ways willing to advise and assist. Th anks medal and the Junior Tall Ferns a silver successful at establishing credibility at also to the Basketball New Zealand board at the FIBA Oceania Youth Tournament, both the local and international level. and staff , whose diligence and energy are while, administratively, Basketball New We have achieved good levels of par- instrumental in making our sport bigger Zealand returned a good profi t for the ticipation relative to most other sports, and better. year. built a core team of coaches, referees When I attended the investiture cer- Th e results make lofty reading. and basketball administrators, improved emony for Queen’s Birthday Honours In April, chief executive David Crock- resources and capability at national level at Government House in September, I er returned to Australia after making a and have achieved at the highest levels. was overwhelmed by the vast amount of signifi cant contribution to the game in At the world congress in Japan during voluntary work carried out by the widely New Zealand over the past six years. Th e the FIBA World Championships, I was varied group of people receiving their highlights of his tenure were the strat- confi rmed as FIBA Oceania president honours. egy behind promoting basketball in this and two fellow board members were It was a timely reminder for me that country, the growth of revenue and the appointed to key international commis- none of this recognition would have development of relationships with key sions — Mel Young to the Youth Com- been possible without the large number funding organisations. mission and Simon Young to the newly of people who contribute in so many Performance Group general manager established Commonwealth Basketball ways to make our basketball communi- Leslie Dal Cin returned to Canada to Commission. ties function. take up a position at Queens University. Th e strategic priority for Basketball Th ank you all. Leslie’s knowledge and love of the game New Zealand is now to both sustain and lifted our expectations, and her prepara- build on these achievements. tion of the BBNZ High Performance plan More specifi cally, the challenges facing through to Beijing 2008 served us well in us now are to close the performance gap Barbara Wheadon mnzm the battle for valuable SPARC funding with other elite playing nations, develop President, Basketball New Zealand for our men’s and women’s programmes. our depth of talent, grow participation Th e CEO recruitment process took and ensure the game is well organised at longer than expected and the organisa- a local level. tion was capably served by life member Basketball has been very well support- and ex-board member Barry Wilson. ed by SPARC with funding of signifi cant During his tenure, the Tall Blacks re- development initiatives. Th e governance corded their largest ever win over Austra- programme developed for us by Board- lia and their fi rst on Australian soil. works greatly enhanced our capability, and Bryn McGoldrick was appointed chief the High Performance initiatives made it executive in September and, in him, we possible for the “basketball junkies”, as I see a very positive person, who sets goals call them, in our communities to dream of that are ambitious, but achievable. becoming Tall Blacks and Tall Ferns. 2 Basketball New Zealand Annual Report 2006 CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT It is my pleasure to contribute to the Annual Report of Basketball New Zealand. My report is abridged to refl ect my time in the role (I commenced the job in October 2006). 2006 was a year of signifi cant change, not least of which was David Crocker’s decision to return to Australia after six years of excellent leadership, and many successes on and off the court. Life member Barry Wilson’s input as inter- provide work for either part-time or full- im CEO was vital to the organisation dur- time employees, and the benefi ts that ing an extensive recruitment search and we accrue from this development are clear acknowledge his valuable contribution. to see. A number of resignations coincided We have many hundreds of volunteers with my arrival at our national offi ce and in our organisation and their contribu- we were sorry to farewell Leslie Dal Cin tion to our game is enormous. We will from our High Performance unit and continue to work with our associations Michael Bennington from the NBL. to ensure the hard work that they put Both positions were fi lled internally with in continues to be meaningful and pro- Jane Th ackray being promoted to Perfor- ductive. Th anks to each and every one of mance Group general manager, and the you. NBL commissioner role shared between Our national teams performed credit- marketing manager Andrew Alleway and ably in an environment of high expecta- the CEO. tion. Highlights were the silver-medal During the year, our strategic objec- performances by both the Tall Blacks tives were refi ned and can be best and the Tall Ferns at the Melbourne condensed to two basic principles — Commonwealth Games, and the Tall increasing participation and creating Blacks’ commendable showing at the winning teams. FIBA World Championships in Japan Healthy community basketball asso- that saw them improve to a world rank- ciations are fundamental to increasing ing of 12th. participation in our sport. Your national Head coach Tab Baldwin resigned offi ce is committed to supporting our 54 after the world championships. During associations in providing opportunities his tenure he had become a coaching for players, coaches, offi cials and admin- legend and an icon that the basketball istrators of all ages and at all levels. community can justifi ably be proud of. support of the entire organisation and a Th rough the support of the Scottwood His legacy will continue and we will long campaign necessitating the best use of Trust, our fi eld development offi cers remember the golden era over which he all of our resources. have worked closely with the associations presided. Funding for both the Tall Blacks and to improve governance and manage- In December, it was my pleasure to ap- the Tall Ferns came under pressure dur- ment functions, while liaising with the point Nenad Vucinic to the head coach ing the year in review, with major High Performance Group to promote coach- role and we have great confi dence that Performance funding agency SPARC ing, talent identifi cation and offi cials he will carry on the great tradition of his demanding result-oriented programmes training. predecessor. with signifi cant outcomes. We were Our organisation is only as strong as Th e immediate challenge for Nenad relieved and pleased with the amount its weakest link and we will continue to and the Tall Blacks is the upcoming we’ve been allocated for high perfor- “raise the bar” across the country, work- Oceania qualifying series against Aus- mance, and delighted with the confi dence ing with our members to improve the tralia, scheduled for August 2007.