They were big shoes to fill, but Central Districts Cricket Association has found the perfect person for the job.
Whanganui-based Aidan O’Connor will join CD Cricket early next month as its new Manager, Community and Capability.
O'Connor fills a vacancy created by the retirement of long-serving Community manager Nigel Brooke, joining Central Districts Cricket from Sport Whanganui where he has been the Rangatahi Lead.
O’Connor is already a familiar face to many in our cricket community, and said his new role was a dream come true.
“I can’t wait to get started at Central Districts Cricket,” he said.
“Cricket has always played a huge part in my life — as a player, supporter, coach, and board member.
“Being able to give back to the sport that has given me so much, and to have to opportunity to build on the legacy that
Nigel Brooke has left, is a real privilege.”
O’Connor’s previous role at Sport Whanganui as the Sports and Club Partnerships Lead also reinforced his passion for
enabling and growing sport capability at the grassroots level.
“Through my experience at NSO, RST, and secondary school level, I understand the important role community sport plays in
both developing talent for our pathways and bringing our communities together”, he said.
"Our eight District Associations [Marlborough, Nelson, Horowhenua-Kāpiti, Whanganui, Manawatū, Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay and
Wairarapa] are critical to the strength of the Central Districts network. I’m looking forward to working alongside them
to continue to grow cricket across our entire region.”
A qualified teacher, O'Connor previously spent five years with Hockey New Zealand as a Competitions Manager and domestic
tournament administrator, and has coached boys' cricket and girls' basketball teams at rangatahi (youth/schools) level.
Basketball and hockey are among the other longtime sporting passions of a self-confessed ‘sports nut’.
CDCA CEO, Lance Hamilton is delighted to welcome O'Connor to the team.
"Aidan was the standout candidate for what's regarded by us as one of the most important roles for our organisation,”
said Hamilton.
"Driving the relationship with our District Associations and key stakeholders will be his main focus area, along with
assisting with key strategic priorities. We are all really looking forward to officially welcoming Aidan onboard after
the upcoming long weekend."
O'Connor begins his new role on 25 October and will continue to reside in Whanganui, working out of CD's Palmerston
North office on Massey University's campus.