Brian Monds passed away on a return flight from South Korea in 2011. He was travelling with the NZ Wheelchair Basketball Team as Games Commissioner and as a representative of the FIBA Asia-Oceania Wheelchair Basketball Association.
Brian’s service to basketball spanned five decades prior to his passing. He was on the NZ Basketball Federation Executive from 1978-83. Also in the ‘80’s he was Treasurer of the NZ Referees Association and manager of the Men’s National team on three overseas tours.
Brian’s interest in Wheelchair Sport began when New Zealander Dave MacCalam, on a basketball scholarship in California, was paralysed in a diving accident. He served on the National Wheelchair Rugby Committee before becoming Treasurer of the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation. He headed the local organising committee that hosted the IWBF Asia Championships in Hamilton in 2000 – the championship was a qualifying tournament for the Sydney Paralympic Games of that year.
In addition, Brian attended another 5 Asia-Oceania Championships as a Technical delegate.
Brian made a huge contribution to basketball administration in the Waikato over a 30-year period administering clubs, competitions and tournaments. A long time President of the Hamilton Basketball Association and the subsequent Waikato Basketball Council, he was an ardent supporter of Divisional Basketball developing one of the most successful regional competitions in the country in the 1980’s and ‘1990’s.
Former BBNZ President and FIBA Board Member Barbara Wheadon wrote of Brian at the time of his funeral.
“Brian has been a tremendous supporter of basketball in NZ for many, many years – the ultimate volunteer, as a referee, and manager of teams at all levels. He always brought that dry sense of humour and straight talking to any occasion and enjoyed confusing us with the hard facts of our finances.”
“Monzee” as he was affectionately known, is fondly remembered by many able bodied and para athletes in New Zealand.
Brian Monds is posthumously bestowed The Sir Lance Cross Award, which will be accepted by his son Murray Monds.
