Zena Gay hailed from Nelson. 听In 1946 Gay became the President of the New Zealand Women鈥檚 Indoor Basketball Association, only one year after the Association鈥檚 inception. She continued this role through to 1972 when it merged with the New Zealand Men鈥檚 Basketball Association. 听She was the inaugural Vice President of the newly formed New Zealand Basketball Federation and served a further six years on the executive committee.
Gay managed the 1958, 1960 and 1964 New Zealand Women鈥檚 Basketball teams. 听In 1970 she received the British Empire Medal for services to community, especially for her devotion to Women鈥檚 Indoor Basketball. Her contribution to women鈥檚 basketball is also recognised through the 凤凰体育APP award that is named after her 鈥� the Zena Gay Memorial Award for notable contribution to women鈥檚 basketball. 听Zena was inducted into the 凤凰体育APP Hall of Fame in 2016.
The award was accepted on her behalf by her son Mike Gay.
