2011_SLSNZ_SurfRescueMag

40
PROFILES:
Members making waves
Danny’s double-act
He’s the ultimate poacher turned game-keeper. Danny
Morrison is transferring his athletic prowess into the
world of officialdom, as Jamie Troughton writes.
Most athletes would be content with one long and
rewarding playing career and be stoked with two.
But Danny Morrison isn’t the type to drift off in search
of a couch and a bucket of KFC. As he retires from
rugby and edges his way into surf lifesaving’s masters
scene, the 31-year-old is already plotting ways to
stay heavily involved in both sports.
He began the first phase four years ago when he
volunteered to help officiate the Oceans under-14
national championship carnival in Mount Maunganui
and has since branched out into the Lion Foundation
Surf League and refereeing rugby.
“I had 10 years with the Auckland Surf League team
and when I finished, (former SLSNZ sport manager)
Mark Weatherall rang me up and suggested I stay
involved as an official,” Morrison said. “My thoughts
were I was going to be there anyway and I could
either sit in the grandstands and watch and have a
good time or I could get in and help out. I’m quite
happy to rip into it.
“The Surf League pretty much runs itself – all the
guys there know what they’re doing and the officials
know how the systems work - so I’m getting more
into the commentary side and with the under-14
championships, it’s more about creating a really cool
event for the athletes.”
The Mairangi Bay club member, who won two golds
at the IRB world championships in 2008, admits
his competitive instincts may keep him out of the
officiating ranks at the national championships for a
few more years to come.
“I’m the director of surf sports at Mairangi Bay so
I’m effectively a team manager. And because I’m still
racing in teams, there isn’t much I can do from an
officiating point of view because I’m still trying to look
after the club.”
That’s OK – he’s still got plenty of time up his sleeve,
if his family involvement is anything to go by. Parents,
Grant and Val, have been involved at club, regional
and national level for 44 and 47 years respectively,
while brother Kevin is a New Zealand representative,
also with 10 years experience in the Surf League.
Cousins include Olympic swimmer Dean Kent and
brother Steve, both national surf representatives, and
noted Titahi Bay surf athletes Martyn, Danny and Will
McDowall.
Morrison’s pedigree even goes back one more
generation – grandfather Tom Morrison was a threetest
All Black wing in 1938, later becoming All Black
selector/coach and then NZRU chairman in a long
and distinguished career.
The younger Morrison even has his grandfather’s
whistle that he used to coach the All Blacks with –
though he’s saving it up for his first big appointment.
“I’ve told Dad I’ll use that whistle for my first-class
refereeing debut and I’m using a plastic one until
I make it. I’m really enjoying the refereeing side of
things – part of the motivation is to stay involved with
the sport, just because I love it. “From a selfish point
of view, I’m looking long-term and trying to make a
career out of it. There’s only a certain shelf-life for a
referee and the reality is I’ve got about 10 years to
have a crack and see how much I can make of it.”
The former Thames Valley halfback and North
Harbour Marist stalwart hung up his boots at the end
of the club rugby season for the final time.
“I started dabbling in reffing last year but I’ve been
full-on this season - I was doing schoolboy rugby in
the mornings and then playing premier rugby in the
afternoons. That’s been really beneficial to get both
sides of the story on the same day and it’s shut me
up a little bit on the field as well. I’ve been yelling
more at my own players than the referee, which has
been a bit different. You could say it was a bit of a
guilt trip – I’ve spent the last 20-odd years trying to
tell the referee what should be happening at a ruck
and it’s probably about time I picked up a whistle and
saw it from his side of the fence.”
DANNY MORRISON IS MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM ATHLETE TO
OFFICIAL, BOTH ON THE BEACH AND THE RUGBY FIELD. PHOTO: JAMIE
TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM
“I’m really enjoying
the refereeing side
of things – part of the
motivation is to stay
involved with the
sport, just because I
love it.”