Cricket Wellington youth development coach Ivan Tissera has announced he will step down from his role and leave Cricket Wellington at the end of the 2021/22 season.
Tissera has dedicated over 15 years to Cricket Wellington with the development of the Wellington School of Cricket, as well as across almost every male and female representative coaching role in Wellington.
“It’s been a really, really long journey through lots of ups and downs, but I’ve had a wonderful time and worked with so many brilliant players, coaches and staff, but it feels right for me to now move on and let someone else have a go,” he said.
“I’m so grateful to have been able to hold a spot as a coach with this organisation for such a long time, but I’m really excited with the group of young coaches now coming through who I know will do a brilliant job going forward.
“What I’m going to miss the most is being part of a good Cricket Wellington unit, where everyone bonds together and strives to achieve collective goals – that’s what makes being a coach so worthwhile.”
Tissera joined Cricket Wellington in 2007 as coach of the Wellington Cricket Academy, now known as the Wellington School of Cricket, and has gone on to heavily influence Cricket Wellington’s talent pathway, nurturing and developing many pathway cricketers to go on to achieve domestic and international honours.
He has been Head Coach of the Wellington representative U15, U17 and U19 boys’ and men’s sides, as well as Head Coach of the Wellington provincial men’s A side.
In the women’s space he has coached the women’s U18 and U21 Wellington representative teams, the New Zealand women’s A team and was head coach of the Wellington Blaze coaching the side to the 2019/20 Super Smash title.
Tissera will be remembered most for his contributions in various roles to the Wellington School of Cricket, helping grow the initiative to three indoor net facilities that provide Wellington cricketers with top quality facilities, as well as opportunities to take part in specialist coaching clinics and school holiday programmes.
A hugely experienced spin bowling coach, Tissera has dedicated ten years to developing Wellington’s best spin bowlers as specialist spin bowling coach and is widely credited for the development of Blaze and WHITE FERNS spin sensation Melie Kerr.
Cricket Wellington CEO Cam Mitchell said Tissera’s contributions would be felt long after Tissera leaves the organisation.
“Ivan has been an incredible servant to Cricket Wellington over the past 15 years and his resume speaks for itself when we talk about the impact that he has had on the development of players in the region,” he said.
“Ivan has played a significant role in many player’s careers that we see representing the Firebirds and Blaze today and his commitment and dedication to players at all levels of our pathway cannot be understated.
“Ivan has been a pillar of our organisation for a long time so he will be missed by players, coaches and staff alike, and I would like to express my thanks for his commitment to Cricket Wellington – we know the impact of his work over the last 15 years will have a long-lasting effect on the organisation.”
Cricket Wellington will be recruiting for two vacant coaching positions in the coming weeks.
Article added: Wednesday 23 February 2022
