KEY POINTS:
New Zealand athletes appear to be on track to deliver good performances at the Beijing Olympics, new Sparc chief executive Peter Miskimmin says.
Appointed yesterday, former hockey international Miskimmin, who succeeds Nick Hill, said: "We are really comfortable and confident from what the numbers tell us, and the success that we have had on the world stage - they suggest that we are going to have a good Games.
"These things are never easy to predict in high performance but at the end of that, we will do a rigorous review of the performances at Beijing and also into rugby, netball and cricket."
Sport and Recreation New Zealand (Sparc) is the crown entity responsible for promoting, encouraging and supporting sport and physical recreation in New Zealand.
"I'm incredibly proud and honoured to be given this opportunity," Miskimmin said.
"I'm really looking forward to working with our partners so we get the best outcomes for all Kiwis involved in sport and recreation.
"Whether it's getting children active, supporting volunteers or getting behind our world-class athletes, Sparc has an important role to play."
The challenges ahead included working with sport and recreation organisations to improve governance and management capability, supporting community sport and recreation, identifying and developing talented pre-elite athletes and continuing to increase participation rates among New Zealanders.
"A really critical area of work will be forming new partnerships with other investors in the sector such as gaming trusts, community trusts and local councils to ensure we are collectively investing resources into the appropriate areas."
Regarding community and grassroots sport and recreation, Miskimmin said Sparc would be looking to gain deeper understanding of the issues, the problems and the opportunities that are in these areas.
"It is a complex situation - issues such as how to best finance and resource them, the changing nature of volunteerism, issue of facilities that people have, and need, to run their organisation and sport or recreational activity.
"It is going to take a little bit of time to unpeel all that to understand what those issues and opportunities are."
Miskimmin joined Sparc in late 2006 as general manager sector development after 17 years at New Zealand Post, where he was head of corporate sales.
Miskimmin has a wealth of experience as an athlete, administrator and coach.
A former captain of the New Zealand hockey team, he played 150 tests including at two Olympic Games and two World Cups and was twice named New Zealand Player of the Year.
Miskimmin has been a board member of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, the New Zealand Sports Foundation and Sparc as well as chairman of the Athletes Commission.
He has also been president of the Olympian Club of New Zealand since 2000.
Sparc chairman John Wells said Miskimmin brought a great balance of commercial skills and government experience as well as an outstanding knowledge of the sport and recreation sector to his new role.
- NZPA
