Irene van Dyk

Playing career Early career In South Africa, van Dyk played for Rand Afrikaans University and Gauteng.

Capital Shakers While playing for South Africa at the 1999 World Netball Championships, van Dyk was invited to play for six months with Capital Shakers. She also received an offer to play for Queensland Firebirds. Between 2000 and 2002, van Dyk played for Shakers in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league. She was a prominent member of the Shakers team that were semi-finalists three years in succession. They finished third in 2000 and fourth in 2001 and 2002. In 2000, van Dyk scored 367 goals from 396 attempts at 93% as Shakers reached their first semi-final. However, they subsequently lost 50–35 to Canterbury Flames. On 22 April 2001, an outstanding goal scoring performance from van Dyk saw Shakers defeated Southern Sting 51–48 in a Round 4 match. It ended a winning run of 18 matches over two years for Sting. During the 2001 season, van Dyk had a 91% shooting success rate as she played a major role in leading Shakers to their second semi-final. However, they lost 60–49 to Sting.

Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic Between 2003 and 2013, van Dyk played for Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic, initially in the National Bank Cup league and later in the ANZ Championship. She was a prominent member of a successful Magic team coached by Noeline Taurua. In 2005 and 2006, she was a member of the Magic team that won two successive National Bank Cup titles. During the 2007 and 2009 seasons, she co-captained Magic with Joline Henry. In 2008, she was a member of the Magic team that finished as ANZ Championship minor premiers and overall runners-up. In 2010 she helped Magic finish as runners up. In 2011, during a Round 8 match against Queensland Firebirds, van Dyk made her 100th senior appearance for Magic. She was the first Magic player to reach this tally. In 2012, she was a member of the Magic team that won the ANZ Championship. During the season she turned 40. Just hours before the preliminary final against Northern Mystics, van Dyk received the news that her mother had died.

Central Pulse In 2014 and 2015, van Dyk played for Central Pulse in the ANZ Championship. On 26 April 2014, van Dyk made her 100th ANZ Championship appearance in a Round 9 match against Melbourne Vixens.

International South Africa Between 1994 and 1999, van Dyk made 72 senior appearances for South Africa. She was a prominent member of the South Africa team that were silver medallists at the 1995 World Netball Championships. During the tournament they defeated both England and New Zealand before losing in the final to Australia. In 1996, van Dyk was awarded the State President's Merit Award by President Nelson Mandela for her contributions. She also represented South Africa at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and captained South Africa at the 1999 World Netball Championships. She scored 1,121 goals for South Africa from 1,284 attempts at 87%.

New Zealand After playing for Capital Shakers in the Coca-Cola Cup/National Bank Cup league, van Dyk switched her international allegiances from South Africa to New Zealand. On 20 June 2000, van Dyk made her senior debut for New Zealand during an away series against Australia. Ahead of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, Netball South Africa tried to block van Dyk from playing for New Zealand. However, they were overruled by the South African Commonwealth Games Association who granted her permission. She subsequently helped New Zealand finish as silver medallists at the Games. She was a prominent member of the New Zealand team that were gold medallists at the 2003 World Netball Championships. In the final against Australia, she scored 41 goals from 43 attempts at 95%, as New Zealand won 49–47. At the 2003 Halberg Awards, van Dyk was named Sportswoman of the Year.

On 29 October 2005, van Dyk made her 129th senior test appearance against Australia. This saw her overtake England's Kendra Slawinski as the world's most capped netball international. Incidentally, she scored 41 from 43 at 95% as New Zealand defeated Australia 61–36. At the time, the 26-goal margin became New Zealand's biggest win over Australia. She was member of the New Zealand team that were gold medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. In the final against Australia, she scored 44 goals from 49 as New Zealand won 60–55. On 23 September 2009, van Dyk made her 100th senior test appearance for New Zealand in a 52–36 win over Australia. She marked the occasion by scoring 33 goals from 36 attempts at 92%.

Van Dyk was chosen to lead the New Zealand team and carry the flag of New Zealand at the 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony. On 5 October 2010, in a pool stage match against the Cook Islands, van Dyk made her 111th senior test appearance for New Zealand in a 87–24 win. This saw her overtake Lesley Rumball as New Zealand's most capped netball international. She went onto to help New Zealand win the 2010 Commonwealth Games title, scoring 25 from 29 at 86% in the final as they beat Australia 66–64.

During the 2011 Taini Jamison Trophy Series, van Dyk made her 200th senior test appearance in a match against England. She captained New Zealand at the 2011 World Netball Series. Van Dyk was also a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2012 Constellation Cup. In June 2014, van Dyk announced her retirement from international netball. She was selected to play for New Zealand at the 2014 Fast5 Netball World Series. However shortly before the tournament began, she had to withdraw from the squad because of injury. Van Dyk remains the world's most capped netball international. In April 2022, she was one of 25 New Zealand internationals included on a list of the best players to feature in netball leagues in New Zealand since 1998. Tournaments Place Team

2013 Taini Jamison Trophy Series In 2017, van Dyk served as team manager with Wellington Blaze women's cricket team. At the time her husband, Christie, was the team coach. In 2022, van Dyk began working for Netball New Zealand.

Honours New Zealand World Netball Championships Winners: 2003 Runners up: 2007, 2011 Commonwealth Games Winners: 2006, 2010 Runners Up: 2002 Taini Jamison Trophy Winners: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013 Runners Up: 2009 Constellation Cup Winners: 2012 Runners Up: 2010, 2011, 2013 Fast5 Netball World Series Winners: 2009, 2012 Runners up: 2011 Netball Quad Series Runners Up: 2012 South Africa World Netball Championships Runners Up: 1995 Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic National Bank Cup Winners: 2005, 2006 ANZ Championship Winners: 2012 Runners Up: 2008, 2010 Minor premiers: 2008 Individual Awards