Hamilton has previously been in similar CEO roles within netball, basketball and rugby. Most recently he was CEO of Basketball New Zealand and was previously with Netball North Harbour.
"I'm very excited to have this opportunity to be involved in netball again especially at such an historic time for the sports administration and governance," Hamilton said. "I believe this new structure will allow stronger cohesion between all of the support organisations in netball and I am looking forward to being part of it."
Hamilton starts the new role immediately.
The establishment of the zone structure was determined by Netball New Zealand who has merged 12 regional netball organisations across the country into five zones, centred on the five ANZ Championship franchises.
Overseas player
Cricket: Northern Districts women's team, the Northern Spirit, has secured an overseas player for the coming season. Naomi Stalenberg, a member of the New South Wales Women's cricket squad, will join the Northern Spirit for the 2012-13 season. Stalenberg has just completed a season in the Netherlands, where she played as part of the Dutch national side in the English Counties league.
Northern Spirit Coach Owen Steverson was thrilled to be able to bring such a young up-and-coming player into the fold.
"We are excited by the acquisition of Naomi Stalenberg to play for the Spirit during the 2012-13 season. We look forward to Naomi joining our team and contributing to our on-field performance. It is the beginning of an exciting time for the Spirit and fits with the emergence of a number of home grown talented cricketers."
Naomi will arrive tomorrow, joining the team for the first round of the women's domestic competition against the Canterbury Magicians, at Cobham Oval, Whangarei. The Spirit play a Twenty20 match on Friday and then two one-day matches on Saturday and Sunday.
The Northern Spirit then take on the Wellington Blaze at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui in a three-day game beginning Friday November 30.
Double hundreds
Cricket: The Bay of Plenty Development team's defence of the Basil McBurney trophy got away to an impressive start in the first round of the ND Development competition, played at Cambridge on Sunday.
Batting first against Waikato Valley, the Bay players ensured that they posted a large target with a second wicket partnership of 204. Eastern Bay opening batsmen Alex Yates was in impressive form, blasting his way to 105 before he retired with a representative century to his name.
Equally impressive was Julian Danby batting at three, who reached 114, before he also retired in order to give his teammates time at the batting crease. The Bay side posted 350/8 with Mitch McCann 52 and captain Peter Wood 35 also making useful contributions.
Waikato Valley made a valiant attempt for victory, but line and length bowling and good work in the field ensured that Waikato Valley were restricted to 217/8, to give Bay of Plenty a solid 133 run victory. Jason Trembath was the pick of the Bay bowlers, returning 3/33 with Andrew Gibbs grabbing two wickets.
Bay of Plenty 350/8 (Julian Danby 114 retired, Alex Yates 105 retired, Mitch McCann 42, Peter Wood 35) defeated Waikato Valley 217/8 (Jason Trembath 3/33, Andrew Gibbs 2/38).
Primary talent
Cricket: The two Bay of Plenty primary teams warmed up for the ND Primary three-day tournament this week, with a win and a loss on Sunday. The final three rounds of the 2012 ND Primary Cricket tournament will take place at the Waikato University grounds in Hamilton this week.
BOP Coastland met Poverty Bay at Trident High School in the Eastern Bay. The Bay representatives won the toss and elected to bat. A brisk start was halted by two quick wickets, before Daniel Price (51) and Josh Earle settled in to produce a 99 run partnership. Mikaere Leef (23) and Jacob Schneebelie (20) then picked up the pace to post 52 runs in the last 10 overs, as Coastland reached 222/5.
A fiery opening spell from Coastland bowler Kyle Hamilton (3/18) put Poverty Bay on the back foot. A brilliant one-handed catch by Mikaere Leef highlighted the side's outstanding fielding performance. Jacob Schneebeli finished off the Poverty Bay batting, to return the outstanding bowling figures of three wickets for four runs off just four overs, as they were removed for 91.
BOP Lakeland skipper Dilan Nanayakkara won the toss at Boord Park in Rotorua and asked Hamilton to bat first, on a day where weather looked likely to play a part in the final result. The Bay team took a couple of early wickets, including a run out courtesy a magnificent throw from Hayze Perham, before the visitors settled down and reached 174/7. Ryan Neves produced the Bay's best bowling figures, taking 2/34.
Hayze Perham (38) and Liam Hori-Clarke (30) put together a third wicket partnership of 68, which got the Bay side away to a good start in the run chase. A gritty 41 from skipper Dilan Nanayakkara had the Bay side in good shape, but lack of composure resulted in the Lakeland team being dismissed for 151, to hand Hamilton the victory.
ND Primary Cricket Tournament
Round Two November 18
BOP Coastland 222/5 (Daniel Price 51, Josh Earle 37, Mikaere Leef 23, Jarod Schneebeli 20) defeated Poverty Bay 91 (Jarod Schneebeli 3/7, Kyle Hamilton 3/18)
Hamilton 174/7 (Ryan Neves 2/34) defeated BOP Lakeland 151 (Dilan Nanayakkara 41, Hayze Perham 38, Liam Hori-Clark 30)
Round One November 11
BOP Lakeland 239/8 (Hayze Perham 39, Dylan Macdonald 22) defeated Poverty Bay 138 (Ryan Neves 4/21, Hayze Perham 2/4)
Hamilton 157/8 (Josh Earle 4/27) lost to BOP Coastland 158/2 (Josh Earle 73no, David Rout 32no).
Season stats
Cricket: While the Saturday weather bomb ended any hopes of cricket, early season results suggest that both the Reserve and B Grade Champion title races are wide open.
In the Reserve Grade, R&A; Sangha CC have a pencil thin advantage at the top of the standings from Mount Maunganui Second XI. The two sides' place at the top of the points table reflects outstanding early season performances from two team members.
Mount Maunganui batsman Khan Greig has blasted his way to the top of the batting statistics with 270 runs, which includes a magnificent knock of 213 not out against the other Mount Reserve Grade team.
Sangha bowler Charanjit Singh has posted the best bowling figures, taking 6/42 in his sides match-up with Mount thirds, with Mount seconds' Marc Rolleston taking 11 wickets to top the table.
In the B Grade, Grasshoppers' Ray Body leads the batting statistics with 126 runs and a highest score of 104. Malwa bowler Happy Sidhu has taken seven wickets with Grasshoppers' Grant Parson producing the best bowling figures of 5/33.
Western Bay of Plenty Cricket points
Reserve Grade
R&A; Sangha CC 70.75, Mount Maunganui seconds 70.00, Greerton 67.75, Te Puke 56.00, Katikati 56.00, Cadets 54.75, Mount Maunganui three 54.00, Tauranga Boys College 42.75, Papamoa 20.00.
B Grade
Greerton 30, Malwa CC 25, Mount Maunganui 20, Grasshoppers 20, Albion 20, Katikati 15, Cadets 10, Wanderers 10.
WBOPCA Season Statistics
Reserve Grade
Most Runs 270 Khan Greig (Mount Maunganui); Highest Score 213no Khan Greig (Mount Maunganui); Most Wickets 11 Marc Rolleston (Mount Maunganui); Best Bowling 6/42 Charanjit Singh (Sangha CC)
B Grade
Most Runs 126 Ray Body (Grasshoppers); Highest Score 104 Ray Body (Grasshoppers);
Most Wickets 7 Happy Sidhu (Malwa CC); Best Bowling 5/33 Grant Parsons (Grasshoppers)
Second loss
Soccer: WaiBOP ASB Women's League head coach Peter Smith is hoping a return to home soil can reignite his young side, following a second below par performance on the artificial turf at St Peter's College in Auckland on Sunday.
The WaiBOP side slumped to a surprise 1-2 defeat at the hands of Northern-based NZF Under-17 and while Smith said he can't use the pitch as an excuse, he's happy his team will not be returning to the artificial turf.
"I can't put my finger on it but the two games we've played on the turf, we've struggled," said Smith.
The U-17's took the game to WaiBOP from the opening whistle and were rewarded when Young Football Ferns striker Martine Puketapu gave the home side the lead in the 28th minute. However, WaiBOP striker Helen Collins pounced on an error five minutes before the break to even things up at the interval.
Puektapu's international teammate, 15-year-old Daisy Cleverley scored the winner in the 53rd minute to give the U-17's a deserved first win in the ASB Women's League, which takes them to within three points of second place.
"We came up against a team which wanted it more than we did. They were hungrier for it, they held onto possession better and their passing was a lot sharper than ours, and they thoroughly deserved the win," was Smith's frank summary of the match.
"We struggled with the basics of the game and gave the ball away cheaply. If you get the basics right then you've got a platform to playoff, if not, then you're always going to be on the back foot."
WaiBOP's loss has blown the race for the second semifinal spot wide open with WaiBOP, Auckland and even Aaron McFarland's young charges still in the hunt with two rounds to play.
"We're looking forward to playing against Northern Football at Rotorua International Stadium on Sunday. It will be a good experience for the girls and hopefully if we get a sizeable crowd along they'll be able to help us lift our performance back to where we were."