Board

John Carley has been a dedicated figure in New Plymouth basketball since the early 1980s, when he began refereeing after recognising a future in officiating more than on the court as a player. His passion for the game has spanned decades and roles, including 25 years as NPBA's Referee Coordinator and 15 years on the National Basketball League referees panel (1989–2005).

In addition to refereeing, John has been a mainstay on the scorebench and as a statistician since the mid-1980s. He served as a board member during the establishment of Basketball Taranaki (BBT) and remained on the board for three years. Since 2020, John has been an active member of the NPBA committee, bringing his wealth of experience in officiating and basketball administration to his current role as President.

While John enjoys most sports, basketball has always been his true passion—from his early playing days to his long-standing commitment to refereeing and governance.

Chair - Leagues Sub-Committee

Pam has been immersed in basketball since the age of 15, bringing decades of experience and dedication to the sport. After moving to New Plymouth from Hawera in 1982, she began playing in 1983 and has been a passionate contributor to the basketball community ever since. Pam has served on the NPBA Committee since 1999 and is proud to hold the title of Life Member.

Currently, she serves as Vice President and Leagues Co-Ordinator for both Senior and Junior Leagues, as well as Gym Marshall. Pam is deeply committed to giving back to the game she loves, especially through supporting players and watching her family continue the basketball legacy.

Liza Fisher joined the NPBA committee at the December AGM and brings a fresh perspective to the Communications and Fundraising portfolio. Her involvement began when her son, Sam, was selected for representative teams—sparking a deep passion for the game. This interest soon led to her co-running a Summer League for junior-aged players.

Since joining the committee, two major projects Liza has contributed to are establishing NPBA branding guidelines and helping create a new website for the organisation. She is passionate about improving processes, strengthening communication across NPBA, and being approachable and available to members.

Liza loves the sense of community that basketball creates and enjoys watching her son form friendships with kids from a wide range of schools through the game.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Grant Lee’s basketball journey began when his children started playing, sparking a deep commitment to the sport at a grassroots level. He started by helping run the Waitara School League around 2010 and began refereeing junior games soon after.

Grant’s involvement with NPBA grew as his kids progressed into representative teams, leading to his invitation to join the NPBA Committee in 2017. Since then, he has taken on several key roles, including Coach, Manager Coordinator, and now Chairperson of the Development Sub-Committee.

With 8 years of coaching, 7 years of refereeing in NPBA and BBT leagues, and a decade of behind-the-scenes support at Mountainairs and more recently Taranaki Steelformers Airs games, Grant brings extensive experience and dedication to basketball in the region.

He also serves as a Committee Member and Vice Chair for Taranaki Thunder Women’s Basketball, where he has also contributed as an Assistant Coach. Grant has a genuine passion for developing women's basketball and is committed to creating opportunities for players at all levels.

Tony has been involved in basketball for many years, starting out as a player before moving into refereeing, where he progressed to officiate at the NBL level. Since then, Tony has become a cornerstone of referee development in the region, dedicating countless hours over the past decade to supporting and mentoring referees across Taranaki. Many young officials credit Tony for his guidance and encouragement.

Tony has held nearly every position within the New Plymouth Basketball Association since first joining the committee at the age of 19. He is currently the association’s Referee Coordinator and continues to champion the growth of the game, especially through developing young players and referees to build both basketball and life skills.