A highlight of Netball New Zealand's 2010 Annual General Meeting, held in Auckland last weekend, was the award of the organisation's highest honour to a woman regarded with equal measures of affection and respect throughout the sport, Taini Jamison, OBE, of Rotorua.

Neball New Zealand now has fifteen current Life Members. This is the citation read before Taini (pictured here acknowledging the award), was presented with her Life Member's badge on Saturday 27 February:

Taini Jamison has made a long and distinguished contribution to Netball at all levels. Her service stretches over a period of more than seventy years and she continues to make a significant contribution to the game.

Taini's interest in Netball began as a young player before she progressed to representative levels. She was selected as a North Island representative on three occasions and was a member of the winning Rotorua team at national championships. Subsequently she coached this team for a number of years, with several title successes in this role. She has also contributed as an umpire and an administrator in the region.

It is as a coach that Taini is most widely known. In 1967 she coached the New Zealand Netball Team that competed in the second World Netball Championships in Perth. The achievement of this team in winning the World Championships has seen them commemorated in the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Four years later, she coached the New Zealand team to the runners-up position in the next World Championships in Jamaica. She deservedly remains very proud of these teams and their achievements. In return, the players hold her in the highest respect and it is significant that many have gone on to make their own special contributions to the game. She has also been a central part of the administration and heritage of the Kurangaituku Tournament for most of its 76 years.

The quality of her contribution to the game has been recognised by many different community, regional and national organisations. She is a Life Member of the Rotorua Netball Centre and of Netball Bay of Plenty, and gained a Netball New Zealand Service Award in 1972. In 1994 she was awarded an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen, and in 2006 she was inducted into the Aotearoa Sports Hall of Fame. In 2008 Netball New Zealand honoured her by instituting the Taini Jamison Netball trophy for competition between the Silver Ferns and international teams other than Australia.

Much of Taini 's success comes from her core values. Whatever she does, she does well and her desire for the best to be achieved by players, coaches and administrators is reflected in the advice and words of wisdom that she provides. She sets high standards and, in her desire to assist others to succeed, demands similar standards of them. Always impeccably turned out, she is not afraid of hard work, being ready to help a franchise coach and players with advice and wise counsel as well as collecting tickets at the door for a 'big match'. Whatever she does as a volunteer is done well and without fuss.

Taini is an icon of the game locally, regionally and nationally. She continues to be a respected mentor providing insights and thoughts that are used by those that receive them. When it comes to measuring the quality of her contribution, it is apparent that whatever she does, there is a sense of perfection about it. At the same time, she is humble about her achievements and does not push herself forward, rather choosing to encourage others to take the lead while providing them with support in the background.

The impact that Taini Jamison has had on the game nationally, and especially in her own area, is significant. Her contribution has touched several generations and has been across many facets of the game. It continues to have a marked effect on others involved in the game. Today, Netball New Zealand recognises Taini Jamison with its highest honour, that of Life Membership, an honour that is richly deserved.

TAINI JAMISON - Highlights of an extraordinary life in Netball:
Coached New Zealand Team to World Championship win, 1967
New Zealand Team Coach, 1969 - 1971
Rotorua Netball Centre Life Member, 1971
NNZ Service Award, 1972
OBE Recipient ,1994
Netball Bay of Plenty Life Member, 2000
Inducted to Aotearoa Sports Hall of Fame, 2006

SLIDESHOW IMAGE: The announcement of Taini Jamison's Life Membership was greeted with delight by Netball New Zealand's Annual General Meeting. (PHOTOS: Michael Bradley)