IWI: Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu

MARAE: Whangara-mai-tawhiti (Gisborne), Arowhenua (Temuka)

BIRTHPLACE: Waipawa (18 October 1962)

NETBALL

Biography | tuhinga koi ora

Waimarama Taumaunu was born at Waipawa. Her father Hone was teaching at Te Aute College and her mother Maire had been the matron at Hukarere School. Waimarama was raised predominantly in Tolaga Bay until she was 7 when her family relocated to Christchurch so that her father could take up a lecturing position at Christchurch Teachers College.

Waimarama attended Avonhead Primary School, Riccarton High School and Canterbury University. A Secondary School teacher, Waimarama held a variety of governance positions including membership of the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council, the Advertising Standards Authority, the Halberg Trust and the board of the Correspondence School.

From 1990 until 1998 Waimarama worked for the Hillary Commission developing and implementing strategies to improve and increase Māori participation in sport, fitness and leisure activities. One of her most successful initiatives was working with Albie Prior to establish the Māori Sports Awards. By the end of her tenure at the Commission she was the Team Leader for Sport Development, a role that saw her responsible for the funding and contract management of New Zealand’s national sport organisations.

In 1998 Waimarama took the post of National Performance Director for the All England Netball Association. This complex role included managing financial assets, promotion of the game and establishing management and coaching for the international representative teams with appropriate professional development and support programmes. During this time Waimarama was also a Foundation Director of the English Institute of Sport and a member of the UK Sports Lottery Awards Panel.

Waimarama returned to New Zealand in 2003 finding employment with Sport and Recreation New Zealand.

As of 2009 Waimarama works as a State Services Performance Specialist for the State Services Commission, and is assistant coach of the Silver Ferns. In June 2009 Waimarama was elected to the Board of SPARC. Waimarama is married to George, with three children and resides in Wellington.

Achievements | tutukitanga

Netball

Canterbury Over 5 Foot Primary Schools Representative Team

Junior Canterbury representative teams

New Zealand U/21 team

First represented New Zealand in 1981 when she was 18 years old.

NZ Silver Ferns 1981,82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89(Capt) 90(Capt) 91(Capt)

Canterbury Netball Team 1981,82,83,84,85

Wellington Netball Team

Member World Champion Silver Ferns1987 and 1991 (Captain)

Netball New Zealand’s Academy coach in 1997

1998-2003 England International Netball teams head coach

2008/09 Assistant Coach NZ Silver Fern

HONOURS

Awarded an MBE in 1982

Inducted to the NZ Hall of Fame in 1996

Inducted to the Māori Sports Hall of Fame in 2007

BA (Hist) – (Dip Tchng)- Cert (Tchng)- CNZ Level 1- NZIM

Accounting for Managers

Silver Ferns & World Champion