All sports background - Nick Hogan just the man for the Bay's basketball job

New Basketball Hawke's Bay general manager Nick Hogan at headquarters in Napier. Photo / Doug Laing

New Basketball Hawke's Bay general manager Nick Hogan has come to the Bay with just the right credentials. He's refereed Hawke's Bay twice and they've won both times - at rugby.

But wait – There's more. When the 30-year-old opens his CV he adds cricket, and even a wee time helping out with netball, to the picture of versatility that the modern sports administration professional must be in what itself is a competitive game.

As it happens, he also played a lot of basketball, until he was about 16, at Wellington Boys' College and starting to ponder what might lie ahead without the prerequisite of superior height to make it big shooting hoops in the NBL.

Among the steps was the school's course on the rules of rugby and refereeing, and then Massey University studies in Sports Management, which included a placement as an assistant events co-ordinator with Netball Wellington in 2012.

The following year he was part of the matchday team with a range of duties for big rugby matches at Wellington Regional Stadium, and ultimately made it into a stint of seven years in cricket administration, most latterly as community manager – capability at Cricket Wellington.

With fond memories of summer holidays in Hawke's Bay playing at the annual cricket camps, Napier had immediate appeal when the new job became available earlier this year, and he started on July 13, amid the Covid-19 crisis which provides a major financial challenge for most sports.

He started on Monday, based at the Basketball Hawke's Bay Centre at the former Wairere Bowling Club, adjacent to Whitmore Park and where outdoor courts are soon to open to meet some of the demand created by double-digit percentage year-by-year player increases in recent times.

With the Hawks national league team under separate management, he has the task of coping with the continuing growth, with about 4500 current players in the region and some destined for places in at least 10 representative teams heading to age group tournaments this year.

While the pandemic has hit the peak of the season – the schools' Term 2 – the sport is bouncing along.

"We've come through Covid relatively strong, and it hasn't impacted basketball as much as it could have," he says.

"I look forward to start working alongside passionate people already involved in basketball in the region, and helping to strengthen the community game even further," he says.

"Basketball is in a great position nationally and locally, enjoying incredible growth over the past few years, so the chance to step into the sport and take on a new challenge is exciting."

BBHB chairman Keith Price said: "There was a high calibre of applicants for this position. Nick stood out as someone who could continue to grow and support our basketball community. We all look forward to working with him."

Hogan remains a member of New Zealand Rugby's national refereeing panel, but now living in the region is unlikely to be refereeing the Magpies again any time soon.