The Splice Construction Magic’s new management committee has been formed to assist the organisation with a variety of operations for the 2022 ANZ Premiership.
It follows the successful formation of a management committee for the Mainland Tactix in 2020 and is the culmination of several months of planning and discussions.
The committee bring specific skill sets around high performance, commercial experience and sports management. We are delighted with the calibre of this committee and welcome Alison Shanks, Andrew Gaze and Scott Ratuki to support the Magic’s interim General Manager Gary Dawson going forward into next season.
The initial focus of this committee will be on coach and player recruitment for the 2022 season which is fast approaching, while at the same time working with new and prospective commercial partners to grow the engagement across the region.
Alison Shanks is a name that would be familiar to many Kiwi sports fans, having represented New Zealand in cycling at two Olympic Games and winning a gold medal at the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Shanks knows what it takes to create a successful team, both as an athlete and behind the scenes and has first hand netball knowledge, donning the shooting bib for the Otago Rebels in the National Bank Cup before tasting international success in her cycling career.
In a team coached by Dame Lois Muir, Shanks looks back fondly on that time, saying “it was such a special time in my life and I think what holds true is just the friendships that I made during that time in the Otago Rebels and they’re still some of my closest friendships today.”
After retiring from cycling, Shanks took up positions on the Cycling New Zealand board and the New Zealand Olympic Committee Athletes Commission, guided by the Waikato Institute of Directors. The last six years have seen Shanks as a member of the High Performance Sport New Zealand Board, which has contributed to her development in the sports sector.
“I’m really excited about the team and the committee, I think we all offer really great complementary skill sets and I think what I’ll bring is that real high performance insight, both on the front line, as a player and an athlete, but also understanding the behind the scenes of sports governance.”
Andrew Gaze has been involved in sporting leadership roles for the past 25 years, including 13 years with the Adidas Group, during which he held the title of Head of Rugby for four years. Part of his role included negotiating contracts, an expertise that he will bring to his role with the Magic.
Aside from a handful of social netball games, Gaze’s involvement with the sport extends to his family, with his wife representing the Waikato region in her youth and going on to coach professionally when the couple lived in Hong Kong.
“I’ve had some touchpoints with netball and have a real interest in sport and sport in New Zealand and what it contributes to New Zealand society and the community.”
Gaze’s first-hand experience with contracting and sponsorship will come into play as the Magic look to cement their 2022 ANZ Premiership roster. The establishment of the management committee is something Gaze believes is key to performance on court.
“Your back office effectiveness and efficiency often determines how well the team performs, so the disciplines and the processes that are put in place behind the scenes lay the foundations.
“The foundation pieces are the most significant element that this group will provide and then it will be a case of ensuring that the best team possible is contracted.”
Waikato-based commercial lawyer Scott Ratuki rounds out the committee and will bring his experience in events and venue legal work to the team.
Having been involved with the Chiefs, Ratuki said the journey to netball was an exciting challenge.
The trio’s diverse backgrounds will be put to use immediately, with the process to appoint a new head coach for 2022 after Amigene Metcalfe announced her decision not to renew her contract at the end of this season, something she advised the management committee of last week.
