EXECUTIVE MANAGERS

The Executive Council is responsible to the Board for the day to day management of the Association and comprises the following members:

Executive Director - James Mitchell

James was appointed the NZCPA Executive Director at the end of 2015. James brings a wide range of skills to his current role overseeing the Executive team (who are all volunteers) within our organisation. The Executive Director role acts as the interface between the Board (strategic and governance) and the Executive who are charged with the delivery of the sport.

He is just crazy passionate about all aspects of polo. He has had a long association with the sport in New Zealand and in particular his club Kiwi. James represented NZ at numerous international competitions and also travelled extensively for polo as a player and coach.

  • NZ Competitions Director 2000-2015
  • NZ men’s team 2002-2017
  • Founding member of Central Canoe Polo, misc. positions including President.
  • Member of Kiwi Canoe Polo Club 1994-onward. Committee member most of that time (and still) and past President.
  • ICF B referee
  • International coaching experience: Scandinavia, India and China in recent years. Involved in coaching various club and regional teams for the last 20 years.
  • Played all his career for Vikings teams winning numerous titles. These days he plays slightly more socially for the Vikings Valhalla team.

James can be contacted on nzcpaexecdirector@gmail.com​​​​​​​

Coaching Manager - Jacqui Frost

Jacqui rejoined the executive team as the coaching manager at the end of 2022.

Jacqui has a long association with polo. Both her husband and son either play or have played at an international level.  She is a primary school teacher who specialises in developing and delivering resilience programmes and has also worked with a state owned enterprise as a trainer coach. Jacqui is also currently undertaking further education in educational psychology. 

Jacqui’s passion is in empowering teams and in developing people.  Jacqui wants to ensure our coaches are well resourced and supported at every level of Canoe Polo.  Ensuring that we have a nationwide network of coaches that have a culture of learning and development is a key component of this.

Jacqui can be contacted on nzcpacoaching@gmail.com 

Communications Manager - Kat Graham

Kat has been our communications manager since 2018. Her role includes updating the NZCPA and Paddle Blacks websites, running the NZCPA and NZ Squads social media, managing our live streaming council, creating the annual report, organising tour surveys, managing newsletters and has pushed for and organised our new website.

Kat has two part time jobs and two young children, she prides herself on her organisation skills. Canoe Polo plays a large role in Kats life, supporting her husband Jed at national competitions. Kat has never played Canoe Polo, instead prefers to watch and socialise from the side lines. 

On Kats communications council are Greer Edilson, Georgia Wheeler and newly added Callum Wilde.

Kat can be contacted on nzcpacomms@gmail.com


Competitions Manager - Vacant

Competitions Management can be contacted on nzcpacompetitions@gmail.com​​​​​​​


Funding Manager - Rachael Macky

Rachael became our Funding Manager in 2020 and works hard to try to get funding for NZ competitions, players and all other areas of the association.

Rachael is more widely known in the canoe polo community as ‘Zanes Mum’. She has been involved in canoe polo for a number of years. She started off managing an Intermediate school team and is now also on the Hawke’s Bay committee as the funding officer.

Rachael can be contacted on nzcpafunding@gmail.com

High Performance Manager - Karl Reece

Karl has been our High Performance Manager since 2023.

Karl can be contacted on nzcpahp@gmail.com

Refereeing Manager - Cam Butler

Cam has been our Refereeing Manager since 2020.

Cam can be contacted on nzcpareferee@gmail.com

Schools Manager - Kelly Walters

Kelly has been our Schools Manager since 2018, she and the Schools council are responsible for running our NZ Schools program.

Kelly has had a long history with Canoe Polo right from playing to now coaching, refereeing and is the Chairperson for Hawke’s Bay Canoe Polo.  She has had so many career achievements today but the best so far has to be leading the way to the latest development of the Aquatic Facility at the Mitre 10 Regional Park in Hawke’s Bay.

Kelly is really looking forward to the future of schools canoe polo and is really hoping to see the participation grow in the next few years all over NZ.

Kelly can be contacted on nzcpaschools@gmail.com

Squads Manager - Meryn Hinton

Meryn has been the Squads Manager since 2020. In Meryn’s role she is responsible for overall organisation for our elite squads (SM, SW, U21M, U21W, U18M & U18W) for international competitions such as Oceania, World Games and World Championships.  Also organisation of our biannual High Performance Development Camp in conjunction with Coaching & High Performance Managers.

Meryn has been involved in canoe polo administration since 2010 when she co-formed Havelock North Canoe Polo Club at HNHS. Over the years she has also been the U21 women's manager, U21 men’s manager and women’s squad manager on many international tours.

Meryn can be contacted on nzcpasquadsdirector@gmail.com

Squad Clerk - Claire Osborne

Claire can be contacted on nzcpasquadclerk@gmail.com