Silver Fern Karin Burger "I LIVE BY MY OWN RULES"
Woman’s Day Magazine NZ|April 28, 2023
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
Silver Fern Karin Burger "I LIVE BY MY OWN RULES"

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.

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Denne historien er fra April 28, 2023-utgaven av Woman’s Day Magazine NZ.

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