LATEST NEWS

Downer to the Bay Hawks as new GM and Head Coach

 The Taylor Hawke’s Bay Hawks have appointed 2019 Sal’s NBL Coach of the Year Mick Downer as their new General Manager and Head Coach.

Downer’s appointment is part of a plan that will see year-round expertise on the ground in Hawke’s Bay, something that is essential to help foster opportunities for local players and help continue to grow strong partnerships with Hawke’s Bay Basketball and other community partners.

Downer’s resume is impressive with over 20 years of high-performance coaching and management experience throughout Australia and New Zealand, most recently as the Head Coach of the Canterbury Rams in the Sal’s NBL and Programs Director at the Canterbury Regional Basketball Foundation. He has coached in the Australian NBL for over a decade, as well as being on the 2016 Australian Olympic staff, but it is his leadership and experience in player development, coach education, and management which should excite the Hawks basketball community.

Chair of the Hawks, Keith Price, is thrilled with the appointment after a significant recruitment process.

“We are really excited about hiring Mick to lead the club as we move forward. He comes highly regarded, has the unique skill set of both coaching and management and has applied these skills with success from the community through to the Olympic level. He’s well respected throughout the league and we look forward to working with him as we continue to build upon the club’s professionalism and performances both on and off the court,”

Basketball Hawke’s Bay’s General Manager Nick Hogan applauded the Hawks for the appointment.

“Mick will be a great addition for Basketball in the Hawke’s Bay. We are looking forward to working closely with the Hawks to leverage off Mick’s pedigree and skill set. We hope to continue our strong relationship with the Hawks that will allow us to build stronger pathways between the community and the high-performance game in both a playing and coaching aspect of the game here in Hawke’s Bay.”

Mick and his family (wife Mel, who works as the National Pathways Manager for Basketball New Zealand and daughter Evie) will look to land in the Bay at the start of the New Year.

GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM THE NEW ZEALAND NBL

Form is temporarily not available. Please visit our contact page.
X