Basketball New Zealand

Nick Mills speaking from the trenches (Jemma Prescott)

Stalwart Wellington Saints owner Nick Mills is a new addition to the Basketball New Zealand board after the annual general meeting in Wellington over the weekend.

Mills was one of five nominations for the three vacant seats up for grabs and, when the votes were counted, was the only new member on the board. He brings a record of business acumen, innovation and a passion for basketball.

The other two spots were retained by incumbents Barry Wilson and Patrick Dougherty.

While all other candidates took their opportunity to address the meeting from the front of the room, Mills preferred to lobby “from the trenches” – the rows of seats set aside for association delegates – because that was where he felt more at ease.

“I’m excited to be part of a team to guide the sport I love,” says Mills, who has guided Saints to five NBL titles. “I hope to make a difference towards achieving a strong, financially stable sporting organisation.”

Other highlights of the meeting included …

• Former president Barbara Wheadon and current vice president Mel Young were unanimously installed as life members

• West Coast’s Bill Kennedy, who earned a 50-year service award last year, was presented with the Sir Lance Cross Award for his contribution to basketball

• Southland’s Jill Bolger was named as recipient of the Zena Gay Award for services to women’s basketball. Bolger, a BBNZ board member, was absent as she prepared for the Southland Sharks’ NBL debut later that evening

• Tall Blacks coach Nenad Vucinic was Coach of the Year for leading the national team to a record victory over the Australian Boomers at the FIBA Oceania Championship for Men.

• Counties Manukau stalwart Georgina Nathan was named Volunteer of the Year, while colleague Jillian Harris was Official of the Year

• Basketball New Zealand declared a $214,248 deficit for 2009, mostly attributable to hosting the FIBA U19 World Championship for Men in Auckland

Faced with the challenges of a large deficit and a difficult sponsorship and funding market, chief executive Tim Hamilton outlined his plans for Basketball New Zealand over the coming year, including the immediate re-introduction of commissions to advise on and administer parts of the game.

Hamilton, who took office last October, proposed the creation of five commissions to oversee tournaments and leagues, women’s basketball, awards and honours, and associations.

Basketball New Zealand has provision for commissions in its internal regulations and already operates a technical officials commission.

Delegates also heard of a very full national team programme during 2010 and the organisation’s priority to rebuild its high performance capability.

2009 BBNZ Annual Report (pdf 2.82mb)