Former Black Caps coach Gary Stead is taking on a high performance cricket role. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Former Black Caps coach Gary Stead is not being lost to New Zealand cricket.
Stead, who finished up eight years as Black Caps coach in June, has been appointed to a high performance coaching role with New Zealand Cricket. It will focus on supporting player and coach development, and includes working on high performance programmes.
Stead has had plenty of experience in developing players and coaches. He was a coach development manager from 2004 to 2009, worked at the NZC Academy and was White Ferns head coach from 2009 to 2012. After that he was Canterbury head coach and director of cricket before being appointed Black Caps coach in 2018.
NZC chief high performance officer Daryl Gibson said Stead's role would involve working three days a week across much of the high-performance network, allowing national and domestic coaches, players and staff to tap into his expertise.
Stead has already been involved in a New Zealand under-19 camp this month and provided interim coaching support to Otago Cricket over the winter pre-season.
"New Zealand cricket's very much been at my heart for the past 30 odd years and to be able to keep contributing to the game I love is really special," he said.
"I'm still passionate about coaching and trying to help people learn and improve. If I can pass on some of my skills and experiences to the wider cricket network and in turn help the Black Caps and White Ferns win on the world stage, then that would be really satisfying."
Stead is able to take roles outside of New Zealand Cricket during his contract.
He recently took on a part-time coaching role with Indian team Andhra for their upcoming four-day domestic competition.
Stead is also a former New Zealand rep, a top-order batter and leg spinner who played five tests in 1999. He played more than 100 first class and List A games for Canterbury, many of them as captain.
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