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Interviewed By Shawn Patton
Join us as we Get to Know ... Mike Thompson from Squash New Zealand
Who
Mike Thompson
Role
Chief Executive of Squash NZ
Number of members? Approx. 21,000 although the last national survey showed over 100,000 more play casually
Growth
Static although casual increasing
Location
Office: Auckland Home: Aucklands North Shore
How long is your commute?
45 mins
Method?
Car – which is infuriating as I can almost see my office from my home, across the harbour!!
Number of Emails per day
Yesterday I received 72. It gets worse once the season starts but this is probably my main method of communication
Number of voice mails per day
maybe 3 or 4 on my mobile
Number of text messages per day
a dozen or so
Last conference attended
not counting Squash NZ AGM would have to be World Squash CEO Conference in September last year
Number of plane flights in 2007
4 international (going to Manchester) 20 or more domestic
Last book read
Nathan Astle biography – a NZ Cricketer
Favourite gadget/technology
my palm pilot – I’m trying to go paperless without much luck
Interests, hobbies, outside of squash
football (I play and coach but not at a very high level), piano, music, I am Chair of my sons school and just completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Administration at Auckland University...didn’t have much time for anything else last year.
Location of last vacation
Camping around NZ with my family during our long hot summer
Most rewarding or satisfying parts of job
Seeing individuals develop to their potential and satisfying business outcomes
Perks of your role
I love sport as an environment. You’re surrounded by passionate people which is infectious. Its flexible so you can maintain a life work balance. You are providing a societal good through the delivery of sport. Sport can bring out the best in people (and also sometimes the worst!)
Things you could do without
Destructive energy
Frustrating aspects of your role
as above
Connection to squash ... past, present (still play? parent?)
played socially twenty years ago and thats about it...I’ve made a career in sport admin and have extended it to squash
What was your background before getting involved with squash?
CEO College Sport 5 years (sport for 13-18 years x 60,000 students across 42 sports) CEO one of 7 Soccer Federations that make up NZ Football (2 years), Marketing Manager one of 6 major cricket associations (6 years), advertising manager Rugby News magazine (2 years)
What caused you to get involved at administrative / executive level?
I come from an advertising marketing background. I fell into sport and the rest is history. I went into general management
What was the biggest surprise when you first started in your role?
The breadth and depth of the role. Discussing strategy to 2016 one minute and then discussing a child with their parents the next...it can set your head spinning at times.
What issues or activities consume most of your time?
high performance, organisational, funders, relationships, commercial in that order
Where would you rather spend your time?
commercial – it’s all about resource
What does TV mean for squash?
Alot!! The self perception of squash is what is key here and tv announces squash as a major sport. We have all the tools – we just need to convince the networks.
What's holding us back in this regard?
We obtained live coverage of our national championship last year for the first time which was a fillip for the sport. We just need to keep banging on that door.
Squash and the Olympics, thoughts or ideas?
Great match and should have happened long ago!!! We are a core sport in every other regional and international competition in the world. The Olympics is the last piece and is a logical progression.
What might the average squash enthusiast not realize about role, efforts of NZ Squash?
How busy we are, how widely we are involved in the game, and the value we have to the local club player
To date, accomplishments you are most proud?
Only been here a year but probably the TV coverage because it was a first
Unfinished business, priorities for 2008?
Strategy review, revive the NZ Open
Greatest change you would like to see in the running of our sport?
Using technology effectively and a focus on providing a great experience as well as a game of squash to keep existing and attract new members
What haven't I asked you, anything you would like to add?
We don’t blow our own trumpet loudly enough! In the year I have been in Squash I have read articles about Squash being the #1 Helthiest Sport in the world, the best weight loss sport in terms of calorie burners, I’ve seen photos of the glass court at NY Museum, Canary Wharf, on a cruise ship and in Madrid and Giza. I hear of Squash referred to as everything from intimate to combat. I haven’t met many people who haven’t picked up a squash racket at least once in their lives. 140 member [nations] of the WSF. The excitement of point a rally in men's squash. When I point all of these out in conversation to people they all agree that squash is a great sport – so let’s brag about it and get more people onto the court!
More information:
Squash New Zealand Homepage
About Squash New Zealand
Sponsors of Squash New Zealand
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