Bevan Nichol

Performance Life Coach at High Performance Sport New Zealand, Sport Development Consultant, and International Referee.

I help sports people and organisations develop performance mindsets, skills, and systems.

    • Performance athletes managing the demands of elite environments and life outside sport.

    • Sport Organisations focused on the development of their athlete, coach, and officiating pathways.

    • Coaches and officials who want stronger decision-making, calm and presence under pressure, and personal development.

    • Clearer priorities, goal setting, and a roadmap that paves a clear path forward.

    • Realigned coach and/or officiating pathways, system reviews, community buy-in, education and training delivery.

    • Greater confidence and consistency in high-stakes moments and performance environments.

    • Practical planning, progress, and clarity on sports career and life balance, wellbeing, and transitions.

    • Performance Life Coach at High Performance Sport New Zealand, supporting athletes with development, wellbeing, and career transitions.

    • Cross-Code Sport and Coach Development experience, and a certified professional coach.

    • 10+ years as an international hockey umpire, plus experience in Central Government, extensive stakeholder and community engagement projects.

Get Started

Performance Life Coaching

Personalised 1:1 coaching for athletes, coaches, officials, and professionals.

Develop a performance mindset and practical skills: Clear goal-setting, build resilience and self-belief, manage pressure and stress, sharpen focus, navigate transitions, and turn scattered energy into structured action.

Sessions draw directly on my current role supporting national athletes within High Performance Sport New Zealand’s Performance pathways, experience in corporate and community sectors, and more than a decade of high-stakes international refereeing.

How Does it Work?

Sport Development Consulting

Build lasting success in your organisation, school, or club.

I partner with national and regional sports, clubs, associations, and schools to create clear, sustainable pathways, development programmes, and education that build stronger coaches, officials, and athletes.

I draw on proven cross-code experience at international and regional levels to create and deliver bespoke development, catered to your context, community, people, and needs.

How I can Help

Recent Project Work

  • Performance Life Coach, High Performance Sport New Zealand (2026–present) - supporting national athletes (including cyclists and rowers) with personal and professional development, transitions, and wellbeing as part of the national Performance Life programme.

  • Coach Development Manager at Waikato Badminton (2025-present on contract via WILSS), building a full nationally and regionally aligned and coordinated coach development framework.

  • Programme Lead and Facilitator (2024-present) for the WILSS NZQA NZ Certificate in Sport Coaching L3. Educating over 80 community cross-code sport coaches every year across 20-hours of in-person coach education.

  • Led community engagement and design of officiating strategic plan, supporting documentation and governance restructure.

  • Designed and delivered an umpire coach national programme for the Oceania Hockey Federation and Hockey New Zealand.

  • Designed and developed a Centre-Wide Coach Development Plan for Hamilton City Gymnastics.

  • Led community engagement, design, and implementation of Code of Conduct, and umpire coach development project.

  • Trainer and Facilitator on Hockey NZ National Developer Programme 2024 and 2025.

  • Targeted workforce development workshop for senior umpires at Waikato Hockey Association.

  • Designed and delivered Mentor Development Programme at CookieTime New Zealand.

  • Facilitator in 2024 and 2025 on NZQA leadership training course for First Line Managers - NZ Certificate of Business - L4.

  • Co-Facilitator on FIH Level 1 Coach Course for Hockey New Zealand and Oceania Hockey Federation.

Let’s Start a Conversation