Don Tricker

Don Tricker was the highly successful coach of the New Zealand Black Sox Softball team and high performance c coach of the All Blacks before taking up a role in the US coaching Major League Baseball.

Don started his career with the New Zealand Black Sox as a player from 1987 to 1991. He was part of the team when they attended and won the Silver Medal at the 1988 World Series.

In 1998 Don was appointed Head Coach of the New Zealand Black Sox team and led the team to the 2000 World Series where they won Gold. The same year Don received the Halberg Coach of the Year award. What he has achieved is a team which is at a higher level than anyone in the sport, could imagine from what is a limited base of talent. Don has also spent 18 years in the Information Technology industry where his various roles covered Business Analysis, Project Management and IT Strategic Planning. His business career experience compliments his sporting career and visa versa, as Don takes the approach that both are of the same principle -“each one is striving to build a team to achieve the same outcome, says Don.

In 2002 Don was appointed to the position of Senior Advisor of High Performance Coaching for Sport and Recreation New Zealand. In 2004, after winning a second consecutive World Series Championship, he stepped down as Black Sox coach but continued to be a coaching adviser for SPARC. Recently, through SPARC, Don has helped out New Zealand Cricket, New Zealand Rugby Union, Bike NZ, Swimming New Zealand and Netball New Zealand in a bid to lift their performance. Don Tricker is considered an expert on high performance in sport.  In 2010 he was appointed by New Zealand Rugby Union as the High Performance Manager.

Don’s strength is in understanding and getting the best out of people. He strives for excellence by focusing on the basics and believes that continuous improvement is a building process that leads us to realizing our visions. He has the ability to understand team dynamics, to build teams and to get each individual team member to take ownership of what their goal is as a team.

Don isn’t a ranter and raver but an astute analytical thinker. He’s down-to-earth, doesn’t suffer fools gladly but is able to make everyone feel special. But don’t be fooled into thinking the cool, calm demeanor belies weakness – it doesn’t. He’ll fight and scrap in his own way for his team, his players, his ‘family’ – his players always respond to that. Don is special to everyone but himself. That is why he is regarded as one of the best.

In December 2017 he announced he was leaving the All Blacks to take up a high performance role for a Major League Baseball club San Diego Padres on a 3 year contract, with the right to renew for an additional 3 years.

Presentations:

Topics:
• Team building
• Striving for excellence
• Motivation/Inspiration