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Van Dyk Here To Help

  South African-born former New Zealand  Silver Ferns player Irene Van Dyk is here to launch a new netball programme to be incorporated later in the school curriculum. The 49-year
22 Nov 2017 11:00
Van Dyk Here To Help
From left; Manager Airport Landside Operations & Customer Joe Gray, Manuel Rodriguez and Former New Zealand netball player Irene Van Dyk at the Nadi international Airport on November 21,2017. Photo: Karalaini Tavi

 

South African-born former New Zealand  Silver Ferns player Irene Van Dyk is here to launch a new netball programme to be incorporated later in the school curriculum.

The 49-year old arrived at the Nadi International Airport yesterday.

Van Dyk said the programme has been a success in New Zealand and she hopes it will do the same in Fiji,

“It has been absolutely amazing in New Zealand; it is so different we actually have to get the people to understand what it does and how it works,” she said.

“This will definitely help netball for younger kids so it will take time for them to get to the top once we get the teachers to buy in it and actually run as a big programme.

“They will be able to do it week in week out and by the time they get to the age 14-15 years they can have skills that anyone can just dream of.”

She added there are other traditional forms of netball but this programme will target kids.

Van Dyk has played 145 tests for New Zealand, and 72 for her native South Africa, winning world and Commonwealth titles and being named Halberg Sportswoman of the Year in 2003

Her 20-year international career helped make her the most capped player of all time, with 217 and her international career finished with 5917 goals from 6572 shots, a 90% shooting record. For the Silver Ferns she shot 4796 goals from 5288 attempts at 91%.

 

Commonwealth Games

Van Dyk said the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast will be exciting as most teams have improved over the years.

“After the Constellation Cup I think everything is possible. If you look at England who has improved incredibly. Australia has played amazing netball, New Zealand has played great netball,” she said.

“South Africa has picked up as well too and then you look at Fast Five competition where Jamaica did quite well.

“It will literally come down to who is playing the better game on the day which is going to be amazing.”

She added Fiji needs more exposure in terms of international games and she is looking forward to watching Fiji play.

“I have always been a fan of Fiji netball with such a lot of flair. I haven’t seen them play lately so it’ll be quite interesting to see and how they are doing,” she added.

“If we introduce Fiji into the ANZ Premiership or the ANZ League Australia the more exposure they get the more they get to learn from the Australians and New Zealanders.

“It would be amazing if they play at that high level week in and week out which they don’t do at the moment.”

Edited by Osea Bola

Feedback:  karalaini.tavi@fijisun.com.fj

 

 



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