FEATURE
THE NEXT CHAPTER
From a primary school court in Centurion to the top of the world, Karla Pretorius has plenty to pass on as she embarks on her coaching career.
By Karien Jonckheere
Photos courtesy of Netball South Africa
When Juf Hanli, Juf Lida and Juf Tania taught a young Karla Pretorius( then Mostert) the basics of netball, they could never have imagined where their enthusiastic and, as it turned out, wildly talented student would end up. Or, in fact, that even at that age, they were also unknowingly giving her a first taste of what it takes to be a coach.
Her list of achievements on the court is truly impressive: 125 caps for the Spar Proteas, three Commonwealth Games, three World Cups, the first South African to play – and excel – in Australia’ s Super Netball league, and ultimately one of the best defenders to have graced a netball court, evidenced by her award as Player of the Tournament at the 2019 Netball World Cup.
Now 36, she’ s called time on her playing career to pursue coaching full time.
It’ s almost difficult to picture Pretorius as a small child, after being such a massive presence on the global netball stage for so many years. But the love nurtured on that primary school netball court in Centurion all those years ago never left her throughout her career, and now she intends to carry it through to her coaching, with the opportunity to inspire it in others.
6 www. modernathlete. co. za