Scott Bartlett's key role in breaking Australia's domination of the World Lifesaving Championships has led to his being named co-winner of Surf Life Saving New Zealand's Coach of the Year Award.
He was head coach of the Black Fins team of six men and six women who created history by becoming the first lifesaving team in New Zealand to win back-to-back world titles - in 2012 and 2014.
It was the second time Mr Bartlett had won the DHL Coach of the Year title. The first time was in 2013 for his involvement with the Black Fins' success in breaking the Aussies' long grip on the world championships.
The 39-year-old Omanu Surf Life Saving Club member shared the title with the team's co-coach Jason Pocock of Mairangi Bay. "We worked as hard as each other to get the team up to dominate the world," Mr Bartlett said.
The key to turning elite athletes into world champions was finding a winning plan and then creating the right team culture.