About The Map

The Genesis - From a Sports Line to Its Own Map
‍The decision to dedicate an entire map to the history of sport in New Zealand was inspired by the Sports Line on our ‘A History of Aotearoa New Zealand’ map. During our research, both in determining what to include and, just as importantly, what to leave out, we were struck by the sheer variety of sports and the remarkable success Aotearoa New Zealand has had on the international stage. It’s a well-worn adage that “we punch above our weight in sport” – and this map, if nothing else, proves that point.

‍Choosing the Lines
‍We consulted with several friends involved in sport education to discuss potential themes to map. While the major sports were obvious, we also included lines for Government & Politics, Low Points, National Pride, Media & Broadcasting, and Social Change to provide broader context and capture the changes that have impacted sport over the 150 years our map covers. The Nemeses line is included purely for fun. Later additions were Motor Sports and Equine. Although we had already considered the equestrians due to their Olympic successes, we decided that gallops and trots were also significant aspects of our history. After all, you simply can’t leave Phar Lap and Cardigan Bay off a sports map.

Initially, we planned separate lines for venues, teams, and coaches. However, this doubled the number of intersections and made the design unworkable. Instead, we opted for the T, C, and V icons. This led to a discussion about what other icons or metadata should be included. After experimenting with the design, we decided to include Supreme Halberg winners, Olympic Medals, World Cups, and America’s Cups.

Our one regret is that we don’t acknowledge the often unsung heroes of sport – administrators, volunteers, and leaders who rarely get moments of glory unless recognised in the Honours lists. Perhaps we’ll remedy that in the second edition.

‍Sheer Volume
‍From our previous map, we knew that 20 lines and 400 ‘stations’ were about the right amount. But as our research filled our spreadsheet, we quickly exceeded 600 entries. With no way to fit that many athletes, coaches, and teams, we had to raise our criteria.

If you’re wondering why the Commonwealth Games or annual world championships don’t feature anywhere on the map, it’s due to sheer volume. We also decided to compress pre-1945 events into a shorter time scale to allow more room for the modern era. This also provided better visual balance to the map. The busyness from the 1960s onwards reflects increased international competition, New Zealand’s emergence in a wider variety of sports, and easier access to the global stage.

‍Where Is the Bar? Or, Poor Roy Williams
‍Williams (often better known as the younger brother of long jumper Yvette) missed out on a place on the map. Although he won a Halberg in 1966, his success in the decathlon came at the Commonwealth (then Empire and Commonwealth) Games level, and he was never selected for our Olympic team. This placed him and other notables below the criteria we had set.

There are athletes on the map who may not have won an Olympic Gold (like Anne Audain) but are included because of their other significant contributions. Many were trailblazers who started new trends in NZ sport.

‍What to Do with Sir Ed?
‍Our sports consultants (see above) were divided on whether mountaineering met the criteria for a sport. There’s apparently wide debate on this. Rock climbing – surely a close cousin – is now in the Olympics. When it comes to NZ, it’s a very important question because it determines what we should do with Sir Ed.

In the end, the weight of the ‘Yes’ lobby and the fact that he is in the NZ Sports Hall of Fame meant we couldn’t leave him off. For those in the ‘No’ camp, you won’t find him on any sports line, but instead on the National Pride line at 1953.

‍Some Explanations, In Case You Were Wondering
‍Another puzzle was what to name the line now called Mixed Codes. Mixed Codes includes successes that, although significant, didn’t justify a whole separate line. We considered ‘Miscellaneous’ and ‘Minor,’ but both seemed dismissive, and you can’t really call football a minor sport. In the end, we opted for what we think is a neutral term: ‘Mixed Codes.’

We’ve attached modern names (like the Halbergs, Silver Ferns, and Black Sticks) to events and teams before these names were officially adopted, for clarity and continuity.Some sportspeople have gone on to coach national teams after their playing careers ended. We have designated them as coaches when they first appear on the map, rather than when they were coaching.

‍Sources We Used
‍The Te Ara website is a great resource, with invaluable approaches to the social aspects of sport and the history of each code. We couldn’t have made decisions on who to include without curation by experts on various codes, including Quinn, Polenski, Romanos, and others. ‘Team of the Century’ lists produced by knowledgeable sports journalists and writers were also a great help. The various Halls of Fame were an important guide to which individuals sports saw as their leading lights.