New Year 2025 Honours: KSM for Hawke’s Bay cricket coach Peter Hensman

A cricket coach who guided a Hawke’s Bay high school to three national titles has been recognised in the New Year Honours.

Peter Hensman, from Havelock North, has received a King’s Service Medal for services to cricket and the community.

Hensman, 63, has done a lot for the game and has previously been recognised by NZ Cricket for developing women’s cricket.

Hensman is also a boxing coach at Giants Boxing Academy in Hastings and served for more than 20 years as a youth group leader at Havelock North Baptist Church.

Something of a jack of all trades, the chartered accountant (at Shepherd Hensman) is a founding director and part-owner of the new Kaweka Hospital in Hastings.

Hensman said he was blown away to receive a King’s Service Medal.

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“I was brought up in a family with four older, high-achieving brothers and we motivated each other to be successful,” he said.

“We were taught that good manners, a listening ear and consideration of others are attributes that will take you many places in life.

“I also have a strong faith and a belief that we have all been blessed with certain skills, and therefore I should use them or they are wasted.”

Peter Hensman has been awarded a King's Service Medal. Photo / Supplied

As for cricket, the father of four (including three daughters) got involved with coaching when his daughters picked up the game in the 1990s.

“I really enjoyed teaching the skills and seeing girls improve and enjoy the camaraderie of a team.

“I loved being able to create and maintain a happy, accepting and successful team culture.”

Among his coaching highlights, he guided Havelock North High School’s 1st XI girls' cricket team to three secondary school national titles in 2007, 2012 and 2013.

“Throughout these years my motivation was to give people the opportunity and environment to achieve and to push them to be better players and people.”

Hensman was also involved with the Havelock North Cricket Club for a decade, in a variety of coaching and committee roles, and established a women’s team at the club.

He has stepped back from cricket coaching but is still coaching boxing at Giants Boxing Academy.

Hensman’s other community roles have included serving as a trustee of Hawke’s Bay Youth Health Trust, Treadmills Trust and Hawkes’ Bay Youth Trust.