Otago’s Gary Smyth started his coaching career for Basketball Otago in the 1970’s, where he’s known for his ‘basketball brain’ and willingness to share his knowledge. He continues to coach the Otago Under 13 Girls team, a position he has devoted himself to for several years, while also assisting Basketball Otago with their development programmes. In 2015 Smyth was named ‘Basketball Otago Coach of the Year’ and in 2008 received an award named after him for ‘Services to Basketball’. Smyth has refereed and manned score benches at various levels for many years, and travels annually to Tauranga to assist with the running of the Mel Young Easter Basketball Classic.
