Former World Netball Vice President (VP), Kereyn Smith, has been made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Smith, who is also a World Netball Service Award Holder, was awarded one of the highest honours in New Zealand as a recognition for her contribution to sport’s governance.
In netball, Smith was on the Board on Netball New Zealand for 11 years, including six as chair, closely followed by her four-year term as World Netball Vice-President.
During this time, Smith was involved in the delivery of many international events including Netball World Cups and World Youth Cups, and also helped to develop umpiring, coaching, and marketing panels at World Netball (then known as the International Netball Federation). She established and chaired a Commercial Working Group that evolved to become today’s standing Commercial Committee.
Congratulating Smith, World Netball President Liz Nicholl CBE said: “Kereyn is truly deserving of this recognition.
“She is a leading advocate for increasing the profile and participation of women in sport. She played a key part in World Netball’s development whilst also leading the New Zealand Olympic Committee as their hugely respected CEO.
“Congratulations, Kereyn, and thank you for all you have done to help grow netball, not just within New Zealand but globally too.”
Outside of our sport, Smith has been a key part of the development of women in sport having established the Olympic Women’s leadership Academy in New Zealand and as a founding member of the International Working Group on women and sport.
The World Netball Service Award holder continues to help develop sport currently as the vice-president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, and transformational director for Cycling New Zealand, having left the New Zealand Olympic Committee in March 2022 where she was its respected and successful chief executive and secretary general for 11 years.
The World Netball family would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Kereyn and thank her for her terrific work in women’s sport and especially in netball.
