Irene van Dyk

Last updated • 5 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

Irene van Dyk
MNZM
Irene van Dyk (cropped).jpg
Van Dyk in 2010
Personal information
Full nameIrene van Dyk(née Viljoen)
Born (1972-06-21) 21 June 1972 (age 52)
Vereeniging, Gauteng, South Africa
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Occupation Primary school teacher
Spouse Christie van Dyk
Children Bianca van Dyk
Netball career
Playing position(s): GS, GA
YearsClub team(s)Apps
2000–2002 Capital Shakers
2003–2013 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic
2014–2016 Central Pulse
(Correct as of 6 March 2014)
YearsNational team(s)Caps
1994–1999 South Africa 72
2000–2014 New Zealand 145
(Correct as of 5 June 2014)

Irene van Dyk MNZM (née Viljoen; born 21 June 1972) is a South African-born New Zealand netball player. A goal-shooter, van Dyk is one of the world's best-known netballers and is the most capped international player of all time. [1]

Contents

Debuting in 1994, she represented South Africa 72 times and captained the team. In 2000, she moved to Wellington, New Zealand and was quickly picked for the New Zealand national team, the Silver Ferns.

She was the 2003 New Zealand Sportswoman of the Year and a nominee in 2005. [2] She became a New Zealand citizen in 2005, and represented New Zealand for 14 years before retiring from international netball in June 2014.

Van Dyk played for the Central Pulse in the ANZ Championship from 2014, taking a coaching role in more recent years. [3] For most of her domestic career in New Zealand she played for the Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic (2003–2013).

Personal life

Irene van Dyk was born Irene Viljoen in Vereeniging, Gauteng, South Africa. In 1994 she married Christie van Dyk and the two have one child, a daughter named Bianca. [4] Van Dyk is a teacher, having worked in both primary and intermediate schools. [5]

A 2002 biography of her by Russell Gray is called Changing Colours. [6]

South African career

She made her debut for the South African national side in 1994 and went on to captain the side and represent them 72 times. She was part of the silver medal-winning South African team who beat New Zealand 59–57 in the first round of the 1995 Netball World Championships and lost 68–48 to Australia in the final. [7]

New Zealand career

External image
Searchtool.svg Irene van Dyk
Photosport

Van Dyk emigrated to New Zealand in 2000.

2002 Commonwealth Games

Van Dyk won a silver medal as part of the New Zealand team that lost the final 57–55 against Australia at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England after double overtime. [8]

2003 Netball World Championships

The Silver Ferns won the Netball World Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, beating Australia 49–47 in the final. Van Dyk netted 41 goals from 43 attempts at 95%. The Silver Ferns had not won a major event since the 1987 World Netball Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.

2004

On 5 July 2004 she came on at the start of the 3rd quarter of the third test match in a series against Australia and scored 24 from 24 shots to turn the match around.

In November 2004 she went to Australia where the Silver Ferns were defeated 2-1 by Australia.

2005

In the winter of 2005 a one-off Test was played in Sydney where the Silver Ferns beat Australia 50–43. Van Dyk was a dominant factor in the win and cemented her position as the world's greatest goal shooter especially against Australia's own formidable shooting weapon Catherine Cox whose own form fell away after being worn down by New Zealand's goal keeper Vilimaina Davu.

From 2003 to 2013 van Dyk played national league netball for the Waikato Magic and in 2005 spearheaded their first National Bank Cup title. The win finished the Southern Sting's six-year winning streak.

In October 2005 van Dyk helped defeat Australia 61–36. In a match notable for the loss of Australian Captain Liz Ellis for three-quarters of the match, New Zealand were too good for Australia with their speed, ball handling, uncompromising defence and shooting accuracy. Partnered with goal attack Jodi Te Huna, van Dyk's composure and athleticism came to the fore and Australia appeared to have no response to this and the overall effort of New Zealand.

New Zealand had an undefeated year in 2005 including a successful end of year tour to the Caribbean where they beat Barbados and Jamaica.

2006 Commonwealth Games

New Zealand faced Australia, the defending champions, in the final of 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Van Dyk performed with skill and determination in an enthralling battle against Australian goal keeper and home town girl Bianca Chatfield who gave a sterling performance against her. (Liz Ellis wasn't available due to injury.) New Zealand won the final 60–55. Van Dyk shot a tournament high 300 goals from 324 shots for 93 percent during the games.

2009

On September the 23rd 2009, van Dyk played her 100th test for New Zealand, a 52–36 win over Australia. New Zealand lost the series 3–2.

2010 Commonwealth Games

In 2010, van Dyk was chosen to lead the New Zealand team in the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi. [9] The 2010 Games also saw her become the most capped player in Silver Ferns history, surpassing Lesley Rumball's 110 caps. [10]

Van Dyk shot 32 from 32 in the semi-final and 25 from 29 (86%) in the final when New Zealand beat Australia 66–64.

2012

In June van Dyk celebrated her 40th birthday and said she had no plans to retire. In the ANZ Championship she shot a tournament high 501 goals from 527 shots at 95.1%. [11] In the 2012 ANZ Championship season, she also led her team to the Grand Final, where the Magic beat the Vixens 41–38, to become the first ever New Zealand Franchise to win the ANZ Championship. Van Dyk netted 25/26 in that game.

2014 - International retirement

Van Dyk transferred to the Central Pulse following the resignation of coach Noeline Taurua from her previous team, Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic. She averaged 27 goals per game, lower than previous seasons. [3]

On 5 June 2014, Van Dyk announced her retirement from international netball, saying "I have really high expectations of myself and my match statistics over the past few months in the ANZ Championship are simply not good enough to justify taking my game to the international level". [12]

Her 20-year international career helped make her the most capped player of all time, with 217 caps (72 for South Africa and 145 for New Zealand). 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%. [12] [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Shakers</span> Defunct New Zealand netball team

Capital Shakers are a former New Zealand netball team that were based in Wellington. Between 1998 and 2007, Shakers played in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 2000 and 2002, Shakers were semi-finalists three years in succession. Ahead of the 2008 season, Shakers merged with Western Flyers to form the new ANZ Championship team, Central Pulse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Pettitt</span> Australian international netball player (born 1984)

Susan Leanne Pettitt is a former Australian international netball player, who played goal attack or goal shooter. She was a member of the Australian national team from 2006–2018, replacing the likes of Eloise Southby-Halbish, Megan Dehn, and Cynna Kydd. Prior to this she was quite an experienced campaigner as captain of the Australian 21 and under team, and the national league team AIS Canberra Darters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donna Wilkins</span> New Zealand netball and basketball player

Donna Wilkins is a New Zealand representative in netball and basketball. She married Southland farmer Mike Wilkins on 17 March 2007. Wilkins returned to the Southern Steel for the 2012 season, after a short stint with the Canterbury Tactix in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Folau</span> New Zealand netball player

Solonaima Maria Folau is a retired New Zealand netball player. She played regularly for the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic</span> New Zealand netball team

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic are a New Zealand netball team based in Hamilton. The team were formed in 1998, following the merger of Waikato Wildcats and Bay of Plenty Magic. In 1997, Wildcats and Magic had been founder members of the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. Between 1999 and 2007, the new team continued to play in the league. Magic are the only team from the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup era to have retained their original name. Between 2008 and 2016, they played in the ANZ Championship. Since 2017, Magic have represented Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty in the ANZ Premiership. Netball Waikato Bay of Plenty is the governing body that represents the North Island regions of Waikato and Bay of Plenty. During the National Bank Cup era, Magic were premiers in 2005 and 2006. During the ANZ Championship era, Magic were the most successful New Zealand team. In 2008 they were minor premiers and they were grand finalists in 2008 and 2010 before winning the overall title in 2012. They were the only New Zealand team to win the ANZ Championship.

Leana de Bruin is a South African and New Zealand international netball player. De Bruin played 34 tests for South Africa before moving to New Zealand in 2000. She made her on-court debut for the Silver Ferns in 2003, and has gone on to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games and Netball World Championships, playing in the goal defence and goal keeper positions. In 2009, she pulled out of the team due to pregnancy, before returning the following year.

Laura Robyn Langman is a retired New Zealand international netball player, who last played domestic netball for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Australian Super Netball league. Primarily a midcourt player, Langman is a former captain and vice-captain of the New Zealand national netball team. She is the most capped player in the history of the Silver Ferns, having overtaken Irene van Dyk's record of 145 test matches in October 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodi Brown</span> New Zealand netball player

Jodi Anne Brown is a retired New Zealand netball player. Brown was a member of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns from 2002 to 2015, taking time off in between those periods due to injury and pregnancy, earning 61 caps. She has also played elite domestic netball in New Zealand for 13 years, and has signed with the Southern Steel for 2014. She played for the Central Pulse in 2015 and was getting set to play her final season in 2016 before she injured her ACL in the preseason and decided to retire from domestic netball after she had retired from international netball in 2015. In 2015, Jodi began co-coaching at St Hilda's Collegiate, Dunedin with the year nine A team. She has since followed this team through the years, which included a devastating 1 point loss in the SISS final. In 2018, Brown coached the St Hilda's Senior A team and also coached the Dunedin U17 team to 11th place at Nationals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casey Kopua</span> New Zealand netball player

Casey May Kopua is a retired New Zealand international netball player and former captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic.

Katrina Rore is a New Zealand international netball player. Rore is a previous captain of the New Zealand national netball team, the Silver Ferns, and plays for the Central Pulse in the ANZ Championship. Rore signed to the New South Wales swifts in the suncorp super netball league in the latter half of the 2018–2019 season following the netball World Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caitlin Bassett</span> Australian netball player

Caitlin Bassett is a former Australian netballer, who played for Giants Netball and the Australia national netball team. Between 2017 and 2021 Bassett captained Australia in international netball tests.

Ellen Halpenny is a former New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand team that were silver medalists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. During the ANZ Championship era, Halpenny played for Canterbury Tactix and Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. She subsequently played for Scottish Sirens during the 2017 Netball Superleague season. During the ANZ Premiership era, she played for Northern Stars and Southern Steel.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carla Borrego</span> Jamaica netball international

Carla Borrego, also known as Carla Williams and Carla Williams-Borrego, is a former Jamaica netball international. She was a member of the Jamaica team that won the bronze medal at the 2003 World Netball Championships. She subsequently switched to women's basketball, playing for Broward Seahawks and Miami Hurricanes. In 2009, after returning to netball, Borrego began playing for Adelaide Thunderbirds in the ANZ Championship. She was a prominent member of the Thunderbirds teams that won the 2010 and 2013 titles. She has also played for Sirens in the Netball Superleague and for Garville in the Netball South Australia Premier League.

Te Paea Selby-Rickit is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2019 Netball World Cup. She has also represented New Zealand at the 2018 and the 2022 Commonwealth Games and the 2023 Netball World Cup. She was a member of two premiership winning teams – the 2017 and 2018 Southern Steel teams. She was also a member of the Steel team that won the 2017 Netball New Zealand Super Club tournament. Since 2019 she has played for Mainland Tactix. Her older sister, Te Huinga Reo Selby-Rickit, is a former New Zealand netball international. Her father, Hud Rickit, is a former New Zealand rugby union international.

Kayla Malvina Johnson is a New Zealand netball player. As a high school student, Cullen played representative netball and basketball, and competed at a national level in athletics. In 2008, she was selected in the New Zealand U21 netball team, and was a member of the side that finished second at the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships, behind Australia.

Shannon Saunders is a New Zealand netball player, who is currently contracted to the Southern Steel in the trans-Tasman ANZ Championship. Saunders, who is a predominantly a midcourter has played for Otago in the National Provincial Championships since 2010. She made the New Zealand under 21 squad in 2011 and played against Australia in three tests. She was later named in the FastNet Ferns squad to compete the World Netball Series, in Liverpool in late November. Saunders joined Silver Fern players Irene van Dyk, Maria Tutaia and Katrina Grant in the side.

Bailey Mes is an Auckland born New Zealand netball player. She can play at goal shoot, goal attack, and wing attack. She currently plays for the Waikato/BOP Magic in the ANZ Premiership.

Maia Wilson is a New Zealand netball international. She was a member of the New Zealand teams that won the 2017 Netball World Youth Cup and the 2021 Constellation Cup. She also represented New Zealand at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Wilson made her senior league debut with Central Pulse during the 2016 ANZ Championship season. Since 2017, she has played for Northern Stars in the ANZ Premiership. In both 2018 and 2019, she was the ANZ Premiership top goal scorer. Wilson was a prominent member of the 2019 and 2022 Northern Stars teams that were ANZ Premiership grand finalists. Ahead of the 2021 season, she was appointed Stars captain. Wilson is also a former New Zealand women's basketball international.

Kelly Jury is a New Zealand netball international. She represented New Zealand at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games. During the ANZ Championship era Jury played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic. Since 2020, she has played for Central Pulse in the ANZ Premiership. Jury was a prominent member of the Pulse teams that won the 2020 and 2022 ANZ Premierships. Alongside Tiana Metuarau, she was co-captain of the 2022 Pulse team. She was the 2022 ANZ Premiership Player of the Year and shared the 2022 Dame Lois Muir Supreme Award with Grace Nweke.

The 2009 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic season saw Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic compete in the 2009 ANZ Championship. With a team coached by Noeline Taurua and co-captained by Joline Henry and Irene van Dyk, Magic finished the regular season as runners-up to Melbourne Vixens. They subsequently lost the major semi-final to Vixens and the preliminary final to Adelaide Thunderbirds.

References

  1. Ash, Julie (28 October 2005). "Netball: Van Dyk prepares to rewrite record books". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 31 January 2007. Note: Some sources state that Mary Waya as the world's most capped netballer, but many of her caps (for Malawi) were not against full international sides.
  2. "Irene van Dyk". Celebrity Speakers. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Van Dyk back to boost Pulse's chances". Fairfax NZ News. 1 March 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 6 March 2014. for the first time since the Shakers' 2002 season, van Dyk will play in Wellington in home colours
  4. Botting, Caroline (14 January 2011). "Irene Van Dyk: beating depression, debt and despair". Yahoo. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  5. Napier, Liam (17 June 2012). "Irene van Dyk won't quit despite hitting 40". Fairfax Media (Sunday Star-Times/stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  6. Russell Gray "Changing colours: the Irene van Dyk story" National Library of New Zealand. 2002
  7. "Women Netball IX World Championship 1995 Birmingham" todor66.com
  8. "Netball gold goes right to the wire" Archived 13 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine thecgf.com 4 August 2002
  9. NZPA; Newstalk ZB (4 October 2010). "Van Dyk leads NZ into Games". TVNZ. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  10. NZPA (6 October 2010). "Van Dyk centre of attention as Ferns cook up win". The New Zealand Herald . Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  11. ANZ championship statistics 2012 season Archived 29 October 2014 at the Wayback Machine anz-championship.com
  12. 1 2 Johannsen, Dana (5 June 2014). "Netball: Irene van Dyk retires from Silver Ferns". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  13. "Goodnight, Irene, our brilliant star" NZ Herald. 6 June 2014
Awards
Preceded by New Zealand's Sportswoman of the Year
2003
Succeeded by