Sport is a big part of New Zealand culture, a fact reflected in the number of individuals who received Queen's Birthday honours in recognition of the time and energy invested in sport.
Thirteen people who play sport at the elite level, or administer sport from the grassroots to the tall poppy end of the spectrum, made the list, and many of these individuals came from the traditional codes of rugby, cricket and netball.
Two rugby administrators were acknowledged which was surprising considering rugby's pinnacle event is fewer than 100 days away.
Perhaps those who decide on who makes the cut are waiting for the outcome before allocating rugby honours.
That is, the outcome in terms of whether we put on a good show as a nation, and whether the All Blacks win or lose. The New Year's honours list post Rugby World Cup 2011 will be an intriguing one.
One who did not have to wait until then was ex-All Black, stalwart rugby administrator, and noted headmaster David John Graham, knighted for his services to education and sport.
I've had the privilege of serving on a government taskforce with Sir John Graham and he is a passionate man with strong views about the importance of education and the potential of sport as an educating tool. This passion was reflected in his insistence that education be put before sport in his acknowledgement of service.
Robert Fisher, barrister and familiar face around board tables at Sparc, the New Zealand Rugby Union and the IRB, was also honoured as an Officer of the Order of New Zealand Merit.
In the late '90s he was a strong supporter of women's rugby which helped the women's game gain formal recognition. Sir Daniel Patrick Higgins, was honoured for services to philanthropy and the community, but everyone in the Manawatu knows that he has been a loyal supporter and sponsor of the Manawatu Rugby Union and Turbos.
His support goes beyond the game as well as several players have him to thank for tertiary scholarships his family offers. Those who have received the greatest education in terms of leadership, human and public relations, conflict resolution and organisational effectiveness are captains and coaches.
Cricketing captains Stephen Fleming and Daniel Vettori, along with netball captain Casey Williams, became Officers of the Order through their services to sport. Athletes in team sports are always slightly uncomfortable about being singled out for praise.
As someone who has received honours for services to sport and rugby in the past, it was difficult to accept credit for doing something I enjoyed and pursued for selfish reasons in a sport where the individual is nothing without the team.
I also query whether professional athletes should be honoured for doing their job.
Nonetheless, captains tend to invest heavily in the performance, protocols, and profile of their codes, and in true self-effacing Kiwi style, end up taking the honour for the team.
Silver Fern coach Ruth Aitken, who became an Officer of the Order for her services to netball, summed it up nicely when she said she is the face but they (past and present players, coaches and administrators) are the backbone. Cheesy, but true.
Other sports and sportspeople to be acknowledged were Christopher Doig (arts and sport), Pero Cameron (basketball), Adam Hall and Michael Johnson (paralympic sport), Ivan Sutherland (rowing and viticulture) and Wallace Wilson (surf life-saving and rugby league).
Of the thousands of volunteers keeping sport going in New Zealand these were the individuals singled out for praise. I have no qualms about recognising those who volunteer in order to keep the sport machine ticking along.
Let us give credit to those who give up their evenings, family time, holidays and weekends to service their community and their passion. We don't have to wait for the Queen to do that.
A simple thank you and pat on the back is a start.
