The 45-year-old represented New Zealand at international level as a player, skipping the country to a fifth place finish at the 2012 World Men's Curling Championships.

He also competed at the Sochi 2014 Olympic qualification event in 2013, where New Zealand missed out on progressing to the Games.

NCZA claim the appointment of de Boer will be crucial as the country seek to improve their performance at international level.

"The appointment of Peter de Boer as our first ever national coach follows a detailed review of New Zealand's international curling performance," said John Campbell, chairman of the NZCA's high performance committee.

"Our review found that the greatest factor in high international performance was high-quality coaching, combined with committed and dedicated athletes.

"We are very pleased to appoint Peter to this important role for the future of our sport, and we will support him as he establishes his programmes for the next Olympic cycle."

New Zealand have failed to qualify for the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics, with the country not part of the final qualification event.

Their last appearance in Olympic curling competition was at Turin 2006, when their men’s team were unable to claim a victory in the pool phase.

De Boer will be responsible for all of New Zealand’s high performance international representative teams, and is also tasked with bringing players through.

He will work with other team coaches and directly with athletes.

"I am excited about the opportunity to make a difference as national coach," said de Boer.

"As a competitor I know the potential talent we have in New Zealand, as well as the challenges we face in developing that talent to an Olympic-level standard.

"I am determined to make the absolute most of the resources we have available to us with the aim of once again seeing New Zealand curlers competing at an Olympic Winter Games."

New Zealand are an active international curling nation, with the country competing in all World Curling Federation Olympic disciplines. 

They regularly participate at junior, senior and mixed World Championships.

They have enjoyed medal success at the World Mixed Doubles Championship and World Senior Men’s Curling Championships.