From South Africa to Ferns — Burger fuels her passion
With the spotlight on the return to the Silver Ferns of stalwarts Casey Kopua and Laura Langman, one of the success stories of this season’s ANZ Premiership received little attention.
The inclusion of Karin Burger as one of three new faces in the Ferns’ 17-strong squad for the upcoming international season was reward for an impressive domestic season with the Central Pulse and was seven years in the making, the 25-year-old midcourter told the Herald on Sunday.
From Vredendal, a sleepy town in South Africa’s Western Cape, Burger packed her bags at the age of 18 to follow in the footsteps of Irene van Dyk and Leana de Bruin in pursuit of an international netball career.
She endured a six-year “grind” playing club netball before she finally earned the opportunity to feature in the Beko Netball League, where she was named Player of the Year in 2016.
The following year, Burger caught the eye of Pulse head coach Yvette McCausland-Durie, who offered her a contract with the Wellington-based franchise.
However, with Pulse captain Katrina Grant limiting her opportunities to play goal defence in her debut season, Burger agreed to a positional change in a bid to get off the bench.
The switch to wing attack was pivotal, securing her a spot in the starting line-up, Burger admits.
“I started out as a goal keep when I came to New Zealand, so just seeing that transition from goal defence and now wing defence, I don’t think I ever saw myself playing at this level in this position,” she said.
“Everything was new, just the way I had to play and the way I had to think on court, everything basically
changed, but I had the support of some great coaches in our centre and with their help, I’ve been able to be the player I am.”
Burger says she was surprised to get the call from Netball NZ on Monday confirming her selection.
“I got a quick call to say ‘congratulations, you’re in’. It was a huge shock. There have been heaps of ups and downs but just working hard throughout those years and seeing it ultimately pay off is the best feeling in the world.”
Joining Burger as potential debutantes in the Quad Series team that will play South Africa, Australia and England in September are 23-year-old midcourter Elisapeta Toeava and teenage shooter Aliyah Dunn.
The powerful Toeava was first selected for the Mystics in 2013 while still at school but took a break from the game after finding the step up to elite netball too big at first.
She returned to the side last year, impressing with her flair, speed and ball skills.
Dunn, 18, became a key part of the Pulse’s 2018 success boasting a 91 per cent accuracy rate under the hoop — a remarkable achievement for someone who, just two years ago, wasn’t considering a career in netball — instead playing for the Junior Tall Ferns basketball team.
She quickly switched her focus, however, after being picked for the New Zealand under-21 team for the Netball World Youth Cup last year and being lured to the Pulse.
Langman and Kopua, who boast 242 test caps between them, are expected to fill a leadership void that was highlighted in Netball NZ’s damning review following a failed Commonwealth Games campaign in April.
Their return is believed to indicate the imminent appointment of Noeline Taurua as Janine Southby’s successor as Ferns head coach.