Mid Canterbury basketball stalwart Colleen Lindsay was awarded the Robilliard Trophy for services to sport this week. Photo Adam BurnsThe epitome of longevity.

As far as community stalwarts go, they don’t come more staunch than Colleen Lindsay.

A tireless sporting administrator for decades in Mid Canterbury, she has been a dogged toiler in the region ever since she was part of Mid Canterbury’s original basketball playing incarnation in the mid-50s.

She added another accolade to her astounding accomplishments this week as she was inducted into the Mid Canterbury administrators’ “hall of fame”.

A stunned Lindsay was awarded Mid Canterbury’s Robilliard Trophy for services to sport, the fourth ever recipient from Basketball Mid Canterbury (BBMC).

It caps an endless tenure across all facets of the sport as she faces retirement from the game she has dedicated her life to.

“They tell me I went white,” she said.

“It’s very humbling.

“There’s so many deserving people out there that you don’t know about.”

Lindsay initially grafted as a player in the region where she was part of the original Mid Canterbury women’s squad more than 60 years ago.

She was part of the representative team who hosted Australia back in 1960 at a time when the Mid Canterbury unit was stronger than Canterbury.

The Ashburton Sports Hall was the only international full-sized court in the South Island.

For many years, she represented her district at regional, South Island and national tournaments.

BBMC secretary Pauline Paterson said during the Robilliard Trophy presentation that there was always a desire to go a step further.

Even as a teen, she was already proving herself as a behind-the-scenes operator.

“I became secretary when I was about 18 and I got on the committee and it was a hard place to get off.”

As her competitive playing days wound down, a transition into administration and coaching was a natural one.

“When your playing days are over you have to find something else to do,” she said.

“I didn’t ever think about it really.”

Her administration roles included secretary for BBMC, treasurer at local competition games, and as an official at tournaments and wheelchair basketball games.

Never far from the action, Lindsay took on various tournament controller roles across all levels of basketball.

As a proficient dressmaker, she was an ideal person to helm rep team uniforms.

Alongside coaching various club and representative teams, she later received a Basketball New Zealand Long Service Award in 2007 for her contribution to the sport which had spanned half a century by this point.

“It’s nice, but you don’t do it for that,” she said.

“You do it because you love what you’re doing.”

Although Lindsay remains a BBMC committee member – a credit to her dedication – she has expanded her repertoire in other codes.

Like her father, she got involved in swimming.

Whenever she had any downtime, she became part of the Learn to Swim programme in Ashburton and is the current chairman of the Ashburton Special Olympics.

“Well it was a family tradition,” she said.

“My dad was a swimming coach and I helped him.

“I taught swimming for about 45 years and it’s something I enjoy doing. Giving back I guess.

“I’ve loved everything I’ve done.”

Although no moment stands out for Lindsay, she admitted her children remained her proudest achievement – despite inheriting their father’s genes.

“They’re taller than me … by a lot,” she said.

“Their father was 6 foot 3.”

Her daughters Michelle and Susan have both played representative basketball at under-18 and under-23 level.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - June 2020