KEY POINTS:
First, there was Don McKinnon. And then along came Don Mackinnon. The former is the politician who became Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
The latter, the one we're interested in, is the chairman of Netball New Zealand.
"People often say, 'you're not who I thought you were going to
be'.
"They're expecting the Commonwealth Secretary," says Don Mackinnon, referring to the Don McKinnon factor.
Mackinnon has only just come to major public attention through his drive to introduce netball's Tasman Trophy, the semi-professional transtasman league.
Catch him while he's hot though. Under NNZ rules that limit board membership to nine years, he must step down at the end of the year.
That leaves Mackinnon with a hectic, momentous nine months to go.
Organisation of the Tasman Trophy will dominate, but there is also the world championship - which New Zealand inherited from Fiji - to oversee.
And all this while netball seeks a replacement for chief executive Shelley McMeeken, who resigned last month.
By way of a quick introduction, Mackinnon is a chirpy 42-year-old lawyer specialising in employment matters. Raised in Mt Wellington, the youngest of six kids in a sports-mad family, he is trying - when netball allows - to run his own law firm, with clients that include yachting's Team New Zealand.
Have you always had trouble shaking clear of the other Don McKinnon?
Back when I worked for Simpson Grierson, I was woken by a call from radio one morning, asking for a comment on North Korea's resumption of nuclear testing. I missed the opportunity to create an international incident.
You're no politician. Your name has hardly been in lights during three years as the netball chairman.
I've been absolutely delighted to keep a low profile. But with no chief executive and because the Tasman Trophy is massively important, it's appropriate that it is led by the chair. I'm more than happy staying behind the scenes, setting strategy, which is why I wasn't overly keen on this interview. You're doing well in this interview though? Get a lawyer talking and he'll talk and talk.
Well, talk us through your netball introduction.
It was almost by accident, although I wanted to eventually become a sports director. I was doing quite a lot of sports law at Simpson Grierson and a partner saw an ad in the paper for a netball director and suggested I apply. Simpson Grierson were doing netball work, so there was a loose link. But I thought he was crazy. I thought I would fail on every demographic, early 30s, Pakeha. But it was one of those interviews that clicked. I remember saying I thought netball was a sleeping giant.
You must still cop the odd sideways look - a zappy young fella holding court?
We had a function with our wonderful life members last year. Edna Yates, the oldest who is well into her 90s, said in a remarkably loud voice as I stood up to welcome them: "Who on earth is that young boy?"
Is there any netball in the blood?
My family is strongly netball. I spent many a Saturday morning at Windmill Rd, watching my sisters play. My mother played for Auckland in the 1950s when she was Patty Penk. My wife Cheryl is a social netballer, our 12-year-old Amy was in the Auckland form one side last year, even our two boys Josh and Adam are playing while at primary school.
Any yarns from your mum?
She'll be mortified ... she had her top teeth knocked out in an accident on the court at a national tournament and has had to cope with dentures from a young age. So I've never had any doubts that netball is a tough sport.
Yet netball is really a nice sport, isn't it?
What appeals to me about netball is its integrity - there has always been honesty about it. The thing I like most is its real willingness to change and grow. Other sports I've dealt with have sacred cows that can't be touched.
What about those annoying thundersticks at netball games? Are they sacred cows or can we get rid of them?
That's your opinion. The flip side is the mums and kids smack them with gay abandon. They love every moment of it - the atmosphere it creates. As long as they want to keep hitting them, we're keeping them. We've actually started a bit of a trend.
Worse luck. Anyway, moving on ... what are the big hurdles for netball?
The sheer volume of work between now and the launch of the Tasman Trophy in April. It is daunting - Australian and New Zealand netball don't have many resources.
What changes do you envisage to the game?
Netball's place in New Zealand is unique but in the short term, we need to awaken the Australian market. I don't think the game itself needs to change radically. It is wonderful right now - especially to watch in a stadium. The sky is the limit. Australia and New Zealand are keen to speed the game up.
And soon you'll speed off into the sunset ... or to rugby, perhaps?
Sport needs new ideas and nine years on the board is a long time. Hopefully the Tasman Trophy will be embedded, and someone else can take it further. I love sport and I've learnt a lot here. But the last four months have been extraordinarily busy and stressful for the organisation. My next priority is to resume contact with my wife and kids and put a bit of time into my business.
