Irene Van Dyk

Born in South Africa, she grew up in (?) and played in their international team, with her goal-shooting talents (combining athleticism, 190 centimetres of height, and a strike rate of almost 90%) almost single-handedly making them competitive against world powers Australia and New Zealand.

In 199?, she moved to New Zealand and joined the international team almost immediately (causing some minor controversy, as netball at the time had no specific rules on players moving between nations).

She now lives in Wellington, and as well as her international duties she plays for the Shakers in the domestic netball competition, is a teacher, and has one daughter.

There is a biography written about her, called Changing Colours. She has had another child. She shoots 300 goals a day just for fun. Her husband Christe van Dyk analyses her play and can tell if the ball would go in or not. Their first baby had her ears pierced before she was 3 months old, she was about 2 and a half months.

Links

• Changing Colours: The Irene Van Dyk Story (http://www.the-bookshelf.com/features/van-dyk.htm)