Overview

OVERVIEW

The Harbour region has a rich heritage of high achievement in sport. Before the mid 1980’s our athletes in our region represented either Auckland or North Auckland (now Northland) regions. However as the population grew on the Shore and in the Rodney District more and more sports broke away and formed North Harbour regional bodies and so the Harbour Region as a sporting identity was born.

Since that time the Harbour Region has grown from strength to strength and is now leading the way in many sports on national and international stages.

Now that the Harbour Region has been established for over 20 years the time is right to celebrate our sporting heritage both pre and post the formation of the Harbour identity through the “Legends of Harbour” Sports Hall of Fame where a number of inductees will be recognised at the Harbour Sport Excellence Awards.

Inductees will be selected by an independent group of judges, honored at the Harbour Sport Excellence Awards dinner and their achievements then recognised on an ongoing basis on the Harbour Sport website, media and other promotional opportunities.

CRITERIA FOR INDUCTEE SELECTION

To be eligible for selection as a Legend of Harbour Sport, nominees must have:

- Resided/represented in the Harbour Region
   - Where a sporting code does not have a Harbour Regional Sporting Organisation the nominee must have represented and been selected from a Harbour club;
    - Where a nominee competed before the formation of the Harbour Regional Sporting Organisation he/she must have represented and been selected from a Harbour club;
- Been retired from Elite Sport for a minimum of 5 years;
- Represented their sporting code at ‘senior’ level; and
- Contributed positively to and brought credit to their sport in the Harbour Region. This might include:

   - Their achievements in competition
   - Their ability to inspire those around them
   - Their contribution to sport after retirement from competitive competition
   - Their contribution to sport off the field.

JUDGES

Judges are a selection of Harbour people who have significant overview of Sport in the Harbour region and have themselves contributed both on and off the field.

Fay Freeman, ONZM
Fay Freeman has had a long and varied commitment to sport. This has included being a former President and Life Member of Netball New Zealand, Director of World Netball Championships 2007 Limited and managing the New Zealand White Sox Softball team to World Championship and Olympic Qualifier events.

She is a founding member of Harbour Sport and has a long history of involvement with sport on the North Shore, rewarded with Life Membership of North Harbour Netball and a Service Award from North Harbour Softball.

Since 2001 Fay has been self-employed working with the arts, community and sport sector.   This work includes strategic planning, leisure planning, community research, project management, dispute resolution and facilitation.

Rob Arblaster
Rob Arblaster represented the Tall Blacks (New Zealand Basketball Team) captaining them in the 70’s and played first class cricket for Auckland from 78’ to 82’. As a junior Tall Black in 1967 he was the Inaugural winner of US Ambassadors Trophy for best & fairest NZ Junior Basketballer.

He is a Harbour boy through and through going to school at Northcote Primary, Intermediate and College. Rob chairs the Shore-to-Shore Trust and has served on the Harbour Sport board for many years as well as chairing the NZ Basketball Foundation and being a judge for the Harbour Sport Excellence Awards for a number of years.

Dave Norris, ONZM
Dave represented NZ in Athletics from 1957 to 1977 including five Commonwealth (2 medals), and one Olympic Games. He also played Basketball Tall Blacks playing 31 games from 1963 to 1967.

He was coach and manager of National Athletics teams 1982 to 1998; coach of Harbour National league Basketball teams and NZ Junior Tall Blacks as well as coaching numerous other club and regional teams.

Dave has had a long career in Sports Administration, including former positions as CEO of Harbour Sport and Harbour Basketball, Chairman of NZ Sports and Recreation Industry Training Organization; Commissioner of the Hillary Commission, Director of sports management Company, Founder Trustee of Millennium Institute and Harbour Sport, Convener of Athletics NZ Selectors 12 yrs; Board member at Athletics North, Netball North, and Basketball North RSO’s and NZ Basketball Boar, ACE Advisor for NZ Academy of Sport.

Dave was awarded Officer of NZ Order of Merit in Queens Birthday honours 2002 for Contribution to Community and Sport.

Dave Knowles
As a former Auckland representative cricketer, Dave turned to sports administration in 1990 when he was appointed as the founding Chief Executive of Sport North Harbour and since that time he has held roles in a number of sporting organisations including the Hillary Commission as Manager of Regional Services, Chief Executive of Squash New Zealand, consultant to North Shore City’s first economic development strategy and is currently a Relationship Manager for SPARC with special responsibility for regional investment programme.

His reputation for industry leadership was reflected in his appointment as Chairman of the CEO Forum, representing his colleagues in more than 50 National Sports Organisations, and preparing a major submission to the Graham Task Force on their behalf as well as being a founding trustee of the North Harbour Stadium and invited to join the Boards of Netball North Harbour and the New Zealand Equestrian Federation.

In 1995 Dave was made an honorary citizen of North Shore City for his services to the sports community.

Marian K. George (QSM)
For more than 20 years, Marian George coached netball at all levels. Her national coaching career (1970-1977) saw her team win three national titles. She has also coached at an international level where in 1985 she won an international title. She was appointed as a New Zealand Team Selector in 1982, 1983, 1986 and 1989.

Marian was the immediate Past Chairperson of Sport North Harbour, between the years of 1987 and 1999. Her work has led to sponsorships being secured in excess of $2,400,000 for regional sport.

Marian’s contributions to sport, in particular netball and as a board member of New Zealand Tennis, has led her to receive recognition through awards such as the NZ Service Award for Netball, the Sports Personality Award at the North Shore Awards Dinner and a Queens Service Medal.