Real Life with John Cowan

Irene van Dyk, former Captain of the Silver Ferns, captained South Africa before making New Zealand home in 2000, and becoming a New Zealand citizen in 2005. Van Dyk was a member of the victorious Silver Ferns teams at the 2003 World Championship, as well as the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games. She was named Sportswoman of the Year at the 2004 Halberg Awards and is the most capped international player in the sport with 72 for South Africa and 145 for the Silver Ferns.

Van Dyk is an ambassador for Netball New Zealand and travels up and down the country doing everything from teaching five-year-olds the basics of the game, to representing the organisation at official events.