Nothing can put ice-cool Potgieter off her shot, even being likened to Van Dyk

SHARP-SHOOTING Lenize Potgieter has been dishing out bloody noses since the first day she set foot on a netball court.

Her first memory of playing netball was on that first day when an eightyear-old Potgieter accidentally struck her best friend on the nose with the ball.

Sixteen years later and Potgieter (pictured) is still landing blows inside the circle with her pin-point shooting for both the Proteas and the Waikato-Bay of Plenty Magic in New Zealand.

Potgieter’s nerveless performances in the circle have caught the eye of netball enthusiasts and earned her a contract in the professional ANZ Premiership in New Zealand.

She’s ended up at the same netball club where the legendary South African-turned-Kiwi, Irene van Dyk, played many of her years in the Land of the White Cloud.

Wearing the same bib as one of netball’s most recognisable figures and hailing from the same country has only fuelled the comparisons between the two.

“They often ask me if I know Irene van Dyk and if she is my role model, but I’ve never seen her play, I don’t know what she is like,” Potgieter said.

“They say that watching me play I remind them of Irene, and of course I embrace that compliment.”

Potgieter was one of the standout players during the Proteas’ recent successful tour of Australasia during which they claimed a maiden victory in the Netball Quad Series against the England Roses.

In four consecutive matches, she had a success rate of over 90 percent, producing her best in the match against England which was South Africa’s first victory over the Roses since 2013.

In that match, she bowed out with a near-perfect 43 goals out of 45 shots for a 96 percent success rate.

In her debut season for the Magic, Potgieter finished the campaign as the second highest goal-scorer in the series, having landed 606 shots.

Potgieter attributes her superb performances inside the shooting circle to iconic Australian coach and Proteas mentor Norma Plummer and the experience of playing in New Zealand.

“My New Zealand coaches and Norma do not put pressure on me at all, they encourage me to shoot on the first attempt even if it is a long-range shot,” Potgieter said.

“When I miss from long-range they would say ‘finally you took a shot’, so the emphasis is not so much on me getting it in every time.

“They place confidence in me, they don’t stress when I have an off-game, they are very supportive which really helped my confidence.”

When Potgieter lines up a shot it seems like nothing can put her off and the goal will be netted..

Potgieter believes representing South Africa in ring tennis from an early age has steeled her for pressure moments on the netball court.

Since making her debut for South Africa against Scotland back in 2014, Potgieter has racked up nearly 40 international caps.

“You have to make the mind shift that when you get onto the court you have to take responsibility because you decided to play shooter,” she said.

“With it comes pressure and that is where maturity and experience play a big role where you can’t buckle under the pressure because it is your job and you just have to do it.”

Potgieter’s good form could not have come at a better time for the Proteas as they prepare for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

South Africa will be looking to make further progress against the best teams in the world in the Quad Series in January ahead of the Games in April.

The South African is set for another stint in New Zealand in the new year but for now, she will take some time off spending time with her family in Polokwane while trying to stay fit.