30 Dec 2023 – New Zealand Curling is delighted to congratulate NZCA president Liz Matthews, who has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the 2024 New Year Honours list.

This honour was awarded for "ongoing services to curling" and recognises her many and varied roles in the promotion of and service to our sport.

Liz's introduction to curling started at high school after she and her family moved to Canada in the late 1950s, and she threw her first stones in New Zealand on the Manorburn Dam in 1968.

She became a foundation member of Auckland Curling Club in 1996 and has served on its Executive for 23 years, most of that time as Secretary. She has also served on the New Zealand Curling Association Executive in a variety of roles since 2002, and in 2022 became its first female President in the 136 years since the Association was established in 1886.

Liz is a dedicated administrator, advocate, athlete and inspiration to curlers of all ages. She successfully advocated for curling to be recognized as an official Secondary School sport, and founded the Auckland Secondary Schools Curling Competition. In the past 20 years, she has introduced curling to hundreds of young people in Auckland.

Much of Liz's involvement has been with Youth teams. She has served as Youth Development Officer for North Island curling and coached New Zealand teams at international competitions including three World Mixed Championships, two Youth Olympic Games, seven Pacific Asia Curling Championships, and three World Junior B Championships as well as coaching Birkenhead College curlers for 16 years.

In 2012 Liz was recognized by the International Olympic Committee with an IOC Women and Sport Achievement Diploma in recognition of her outstanding contribution to promoting the development and participation of girls in sport. She has received several Sport Auckland and Sport North Harbour Awards, and is a Life Member of Auckland Curling Club.

Liz has represented New Zealand internationally at curling at 17 World Senior Curling Championships and at two Pacific-Asia Curling Championships, and has been a member of gold medal-winning teams in the New Zealand Mixed and New Zealand Women’s Championships. Well-regarded by her fellow curlers, she was awarded the sportsmanship award at the World Senior Curling Championships in 2003.
 

Team NZ Women at the 2016 Pacific-Asia Championships
2012 Bonspiel	IOC Award with WCF President Kate Caithness
2023 World Senior Championships