Legendary former Silver Ferns coach Taini Jamison has died at the age of 95. She was born on 23 February 1928 and passed away on 28 April 2023. According to multiple sources, her funeral will be held Monday (May 1, 2023) in her hometown of Rotorua.
Jamison attended Rotorua High and Grammar Schools before being transferred to Wellington Girls’ College after the war.
She later attended Wellington Teachers’ Training College. After qualifying as a teacher, she had several different postings.
She is best remembered for her exploits as coach of the New Zealand netball team.
Jamison coached the New Zealand netball team to victory at the World Netball Championships in Perth, Australia, in 1967.
Four years later, she coached the New Zealand team to second place in the 1971 World Netball Championships in Jamaica, despite the fact that the team had been away from home for nearly four months.
She was the first Mori coach of the New Zealand netball team and is its most successful coach, with a 90% win rate. Jamison has been involved with Netball Rotorua for nearly her entire adult life, serving as its president from 1981 to 2001.
The Taini Jamison Trophy, which is contested by visiting international teams other than Australia, is named in her honor.
She was married to Tom Jamison, a local basketball coach. Sadly, he died just three months after they tied the knot in an accident which occurrred at the basketball court. She did not remarry.
She is survived by a son Tom Jamison Jr., whom she named after her late husband.