Van Dyk to take junior talent in hand

December 21

Van Dyk to take junior talent in hand

Irene van Dyk is poised to play a key role in helping shape future young talent through her new role as Junior Development Officer for the Netball Central Zone.

In a job seemingly tailor-made for the former Silver Ferns shooting great and New Zealand’s most recognisable netballer, van Dyk is excited to be working on her home patch and combining her twin loves of working with children and with the sport she helped redefine.

``I’m really happy that I’ve found a job that I’m super passionate about that involves netball and children……it just ticks all the boxes for me,’’ she said. ``It’s a cool thing to be part of and I’m stoked.’’

There has been a positive and proactive endorsement of the implementation of Netball New Zealand’s (NNZ) ANZ futureFERNS Programme, which was first established in 2013, and will be central to van Dyk’s role.

With the programme offering a modified game format for the different age groups from Years 1-8 (primary and intermediate school age groups), van Dyk will spend much of her time visiting Centres within the Zone helping implement and promote the programme.

``I want to bring my enthusiasm and love for netball to this role and working with children is just so rewarding,’’ she said.

Netball Central CEO Carolyn Young is delighted with the appointment which would provide a great start to 2016.

``We are very pleased to have secured Irene for this role and I’m sure the Centres in our Zone will be excited to have her as part of our netball family,’’ she said.

``Irene’s wealth of knowledge and experience of netball as a player will be invaluable. She has an engaging personality with lots of energy that will ensure the first experience that young girls have of netball will be a positive experience.

``A key aspect of this programme is for players to develop fundamental movement and ball skills but it is just as important that the ANZ futureFERNS develop a love of the game. We all know that Irene has a deep love of the game and her for to be able to share this with our youngest players will be invaluable.’’

Already helping promote the sport in her role as a NNZ Ambassador, van Dyk will start in January, while also kick-starting her own coaching pathway.

She will coach a team fulltime next year while continuing to enhance her mentoring credentials through development programmes offered by NNZ and Sport NZ.

ENDS.

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