Queen's Birthday Honours: Keith Mair

Keith Mair has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

If Keith Mair hadn't hurt his knee 45 years ago, New Zealand basketball would be much the poorer.

Then aged 25, the keen sportsman had to put basketball on hold for a season due to injury. He took up coaching instead which led to a long voluntary career at every level of the sport, culminating in 12 years coaching the New Zealand men's basketball team, the Tall Blacks.

Now Mr Mair, 71, has been made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Mr Mair grew up in Taumarunui where he played every sport possible, continuing his involvement after moving to Wellington. When he took up coaching he plunged in, taking on a club team, an under-18 team and a Hutt Valley senior team, all in the same year. After becoming a college teacher, he found himself coaching every basketball team at Timaru Boys' High, as well as age group and club teams.

In the 1980s he was appointed the New Zealand under-20s coach and assistant coach of the New Zealand Women's Team. In 1987 he was appointed head coach of the Tall Blacks, a role he held for 13 years. He was a board member of Basketball New Zealand for 18 years.

He has coached at every level and has enjoyed seeing players progress through the sport.

"It's very, very satisfying to coach people who are 12 years old and see them when they're 17 or 18 and they've just turned into super players."

He says he was drawn to coaching by growing up in a small town where sport was huge and top coaches in short supply.

From 2003 Mr Mair served 10 years as chief executive of England Basketball. He now lives in Wales but returns to New Zealand regularly where he splits his time between Taupo and Wellington.

The semi-retired accountant and sharebroker still plays occasionally and coaches. He went to offer his services in his local town and was quickly snapped up as the voluntary coach of Wales Basketball's men's team.

Keith said being put forward for a Queen's Birthday Honour was "a bit strange" given he only did it for the love of the sport.

"I've always loved being involved in sport in the community and doing things."