Silver Fern Karin Burger "I LIVE BY MY OWN RULES"

Single and thriving at 30, the net ball hero opens up about building a new life in Aotearoa, her emotional return to South Africa and the difficulties of dating as an athlete

- Kelly Bertrand

Turning 30 is a huge milestone in any woman's life. For Silver Fern and Mainland Tactix star defender Karin Burger, the big birthday has been a time to reflect and recharge as the talented athlete barrels through a hugely important year in the netball calendar. But it was also a great time to take stock of more personal matters.

"I was thinking the other day, 'I'm turning 30 and I'm still single. What am I doing!?" she laughs at our Woman's Day photoshoot in Christchurch.

"But no, seriously, turning 30 is big. I wouldn't say I feel more pressure, but I've realised I'm getting closer to my retirement from professional sport, although I quite often have to tell myself that I'm still very young.

"In previous years, I haven't cared so much about turning 30, but when you actually start creeping towards it, it does feel intimidating. But that's when I remind myself that there's no set rules in life about when you have to do things and how you have to do them. I try to tell myself I can do it the way I want to, as long as I'm happy with it. As long as I'm happy, I don't care about timing!" Doing things a little differently has also defined the path of South African-born Karin's netball career. Unlike her compatriots Irene van Dyk and Leana de Bruin, who both played for South Africa's national team the Proteas, Karin arrived in Aotearoa as a fresh-faced 18-year-old with no idea what she wanted to do.

"My plans were never to permanently move to New Zealand - it was more the fact that I didn't know what I wanted to do after school!" she confesses. "My mum had a cousin here who suggested a gap year and I thought it sounded great." With her uncle helping her find a netball club in Lower Hutt, Karin began to embrace her new life in the Wellington region and then decided to stay on after her visitor's visa ran out.