One of New Zealand’s most successful coaches across all sports, netball’s Ruth Aitken has been named a Dame in the Queen’s Birthday Honours, becoming the fourth netballer to do so.
The former Silver Ferns coach follows in the footsteps of Dame Lois Muir (services to netball), Dame June Mariu (services to Maori and the community) and Dame Noeline Taurua (services to netball) in being awarded a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM).
Aitken was one of three netballers to be recognised in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
Ann Tod has been made a Member of the NZ Order of Merit for her work in governance and finance at the highest levels and active support at grassroots level, and for services to netball and the community Kate Leebody earned the Queen's Service Medal for more than 50 years service to education and netball in New Zealand.
Aitken received Life Membership of Netball New Zealand (NNZ) last year in acknowledgment of the immense and invaluable contribution she has made to the sport from grassroots level to the international stage in a lifetime’s involvement.
NNZ CEO Jennie Wyllie was fulsome in her praise for the two recipients.
“Ruth’s record is second to none. Winning a world championship and back-to-back Commonwealth Games is an impressive achievement amongst many and recognition for her dedication over many years is well deserved,” she said.
“Ann has also given tremendous service in providing strategic leadership across many areas of governance and finance services while actively supporting the grassroots communities within Oceania and New Zealand.
“To have two members of the wider netball community recognised in this way is a special moment for us.”
A successful member of the Silver Ferns team who were joint winners of the 1979 World Netball Championships, Aitken went on to forge an outstanding career as a coach.
Over her nine-year tenure (2002 – 2011) as the Silver Ferns coach, Aitken stood out as one of New Zealand’s most successful coaches across all codes. With Aitken at the helm, the Silver Ferns won the 2003 World Netball Championships, culminating in the Coach of the Year Award the same year, back-to-back gold medals at the 2006 Melbourne and 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games and the World Netball Series title in 2009.
Employed as the NNZ Coaching Director from 2011 – 2013, Aitken led the successful development and promotion of new initiatives to encourage increased participation at all levels of coaching.
From 2013 – 2016, Aitken was Technical Director and National Coach for Singapore Netball where she played an instrumental role in shaping the success and development of the Singapore national team.
Since 2017, she has played an important role as Development Officer for the Pacific Sporting Programme, a initiative that delivers Netball training to a wide range of participants in Fiji, the Cook Islands, Samoa and Tonga.
Her knowledge and experience have been recognised both nationally and internationally as a member of the World Netball Coaching Advisory Panel (2011 – 2014) and since 2016 has been a member of the NZ Sports Tribunal, an independent body that rules on a range of sporting disputes.
More recently, Aitken was Performance Manager in the Waikato Bay of Plenty Zone.
Aitken was made an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM) in 2011 for her services to Netball.
An Audit Partner of KPMG, where she has worked since 1980, Tod has worn many hats in her service to Netball, ranging from junior level to having a significant impact internationally.
A strong advocate for over 20 years, Tod retains a close association with Netball North Harbour but has spread her wings in many ways during that time. A team builder with her collaborative approach and strong work ethic, Tod’s auditing skills have resonated with great success across the wider netball community.
With the formation of the ANZ Championship in 2008, Tod audited the joint venture company that ran the event as well as two of the franchises involved.
In 2010, she began her involvement as the auditor of NNZ and since 2011 has been the Finance Director on the World Netball Board. She is also the honorary auditor for the Oceania Federation, where, since 2012, she has worked in a voluntary role.