WESTERN BAY OF PLENTY CRICKET APPOINT A NEW OPERATIONS AND COMPETITION MANAGER

The changing of the guard at Western Bay of Plenty Cricket has seen the recent appointment of Mikael Carter as the WBOPCA Operations and Competition Manager.

Mikael steps into the top administration role at Western Bay of Plenty Cricket, to replace long-serving administrator Don Warner who has earned a well deserved retirement.

Western Bay of Plenty Cricket is amongst the largest NZ Cricket sub-associations. Last season, there were 1100 registered age group players, who played in the Classic Builders Junior and Secondary School competitions. There were also 27 senior teams that competed in Classic Builders Reserve and B Grade competition. In addition six Western Bay clubs field a team in the BOPCA Baywide premier competitions. 

A record 17 junior teams played in the annual Hawkes Bay Cricket tournament in January 2022. The region also has five Business House/Twilight Cricket Leagues, from Te Puna to Te Puke, catering for over 500 players.

Local Recruitment Company Ryan + Alexander were engaged to facilitate the recruitment process. After an extensive search and interviews, the WBOPCA Employment Committee confirmed Mikael Carter as the new WBOPCA Operations and Competitions Manager. 

Long-serving Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Board Member and Treasurer Paul Wills said “Mikael's enthusiasm and passion for cricket was evident at her interview and her past experience working for NZ Cricket was very positive.  Mikael’s engagement with social media and digital platforms were key attributes supporting her appointment".

Mikael comes from a strong cricket background. "Growing up in Blenheim, both my father and brother were heavily involved in Marlborough cricket and this influenced my early love of the game". “Before moving to Tauranga in 2010, I worked as an administrator and match manager for New Zealand Cricket at the NZC High Performance Centre at Lincoln".

The game of cricket continues to play a big part in Mikael's life, being married to Bay Oval Turf Manager Jared Carter, and three cricket mad sons aged fourteen, twelve and nine years of age. Coaching and managing local junior cricket teams has spilled over to similar positions with junior rugby and basketball sides.

"I feel privileged to be stepping into the role of Western Bay of Plenty Cricket Operations and Competition Manager"." Initially, I hope to develop strong relationships with all stakeholders of Western Bay Cricket and collaborate with them to grow all the facets of the game". 

"There are many people, including players, officials, administrators and supporters, who enjoy cricket for a wide range of reasons in the Western Bay of Plenty. A big part of my role is to listen, understand, and provide quality experiences that allow all the stakeholders to meet their cricket needs and achieve their goals".

“I am looking forward to creating a strong social media presence for Western Bay of Plenty Cricket, to connect the cricketing community online and deliver information and news for the 2022/23 cricket season and beyond

Mikael will pick up the reigns of Western Bay of Plenty Cricket duty on the 4th July 2022.

For Further Information Contact

Paul Wills      WBOPCA Treasurer & Board Member             029 612 8920