Rotorua Netball secretary Mary Thompson has been appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to netball administration. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua Netball secretary Mary Thompson has been appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to netball administration. Photo / Andrew Warner
Reading through everything Mary Thompson has been involved with in netball, you have to wonder if she ever sleeps.
For decades Thompson has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure as many young Kiwis as possible have the opportunity to enjoy the sport she loves so dearly.
Today, Thompson's efforts have been recognised, with her appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to netball administration.
"I felt a bit overwhelmed when I found out," she said.
"I'm very honoured and very humbled."
Thompson started playing netball at primary school in Hamilton and instantly fell in love with the sport. She played all the way through secondary school and as an adult.
In 1974, after living in Australia for about 10 years, she moved to Rotorua where she has now been Rotorua Netball Centre's secretary for 40 years. Fittingly, her introduction to the administrative side of the sport was through a New Zealand netball legend.
"We just decided Rotorua was quite a good place to live, we had friends here, and I wanted to continue playing netball. I started off playing for the club Taini Jamison [New Zealand's most successful Silver Ferns coach] coached.
"I met her through her neighbour who I worked with at the hospital. Taini was the one who got me into, not only playing again, but also into administration." Thompson is the convener of the Kurangaituku Netball Tournament, one of the largest recreational netball tournaments in New Zealand. She was chairwoman of the Bay of Plenty Netball Board for two years.
She oversaw the transition of netball in Rotorua from Kuirau Park to the Westbrook complex and has worked closely with Rotorua Lakes Council and Sport Bay of Plenty on projects such as court upgrades.
Image 1 of 7: Rotorua Boys High School Hall of Fame inductees evening. Taini Jamison, left, and Mary Thompson.
She was also the first manager of the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic netball team when they formed in 1999 and has been event co-ordinator for the Magic's home netball games for the past 20 years.
"After that I have always supported them and one of the greatest thrills was when I went to Melbourne [in 2012] and watch them win their first ANZ Championship title against the Melbourne Vixens. That was a great night."
She has been the events manager for a variety of national netball tournaments held in Rotorua in the past decade and was the key driver in the establishment of Saturday netball games in Rotorua in 1980. She is a life member of Rotorua Netball and Netball Bay of Plenty and has received several awards recognising her contribution to netball in the region.
When asked what drives her she said it was her love for the sport as well as the people. "The people I've met and the people I work with are amazing. They probably all deserve an award as well. When I think about my family and how they've put up with me and the time I've put into netball, and my friends...
Image 1 of 7: Rotorua Boys High School Hall of Fame inductees evening. Taini Jamison, left, and Mary Thompson.
"I've worked with a lot of amazing volunteers who I really respect and care about, I'll share this award with them. The people involved in netball all seem to have the same sort of interest at heart and all seem to be caring people.
"Netball has a huge number of volunteers who all do it for the love, not for money. We're so lucky in Rotorua, we have a great team of volunteers who run netball here. They're a great lot of people who all love the game."
Thompson said, whatever the future holds, she will always be involved in netball, even if only as a fan in front of the television, cheering on her beloved Magic.
"I don't know if I'll carry on the role of secretary for too much longer, I'd like to see somebody else come into that role in Rotorua. I will certainly keep going to help wherever I can if I do give up that position but you can't go on forever.
"I'd never be able to stop completely. I'll keep my interest in netball forever, I think."
