“ Growing up, my parents always encouraged us to participate in a variety of sports, which I’ m really grateful for. But netball was always the one I loved the most,” explained Pretorius, who announced her retirement after the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.“ I think a big part of that was the team environment. You got to play alongside your friends and share experiences together.”
When she looks back, Pretorius says some of her best memories are from tours and trips with her teams.
“ The excitement of travelling together, playing matches and just spending time with teammates. Those experiences made netball about so much more than what happened on court.”
Pretorius soon climbed up the ranks, playing for the University of the Free State, where she achieved a master’ s degree in dietetics, and the Free State Crinums – with whom she won numerous Brutal Fruit Netball Cup titles and more recently, this year’ s Telkom Netball League.
She made her debut for the Spar Proteas at the age of 21 in Perth in 2011. While it was a match the South African side would rather forget, having gone down 61-37 to African rivals Malawi, it was nevertheless a memorable occasion for Pretorius.
“ I came on from the bench – and even though we lost by a lot, it was a really special moment,” she recalled.
Known for her calm under pressure and excellent defensive skills, thanks to her ability to read the game and be in all the right places at the right time, Pretorius was soon catching the eye of overseas teams. She was first contracted to play for Team Bath in England before becoming the first South African to be recruited by a Super Netball team in Australia.
“ I’ m incredibly proud of that achievement. To be the first South African to play in the Australian league was a huge privilege, but for me it was about more than just being the first. It was an opportunity to go out there and show the world what we as South Africans are capable of,” she explained.
“ What I’ m perhaps most proud of is that I was able to back it up year after year with consistent performances and become an important member of the club. It wasn’ t just about getting the opportunity; it was about proving that I belonged there and continuing to perform at that level.”
Those performances helped her side to two Super Netball titles, while Pretorius was named the Sunshine Coast Lightning Player of the Year and Players’ Player from 2018 to 2020.
“ Those years helped shape me not only into a better netball player, but also into a more professional, resilient and well-rounded person off the court.”
It was during that time that she also gave birth to her daughter, Kara, in 2022 – and then made a return to the court the following season. Becoming a mom for the first time gave her a whole new perspective on the sport and life in general.
“ Coming back was tough, probably one of the toughest things I’ ve done in my career. But … having people who believed in me and were willing to support me through that process made the journey so much easier.
“[ Motherhood ] taught me to be very intentional with my time and with the way I trained. I couldn’ t necessarily always do more, so I had to become smarter about what I did and make sure there was purpose behind it. That mindset actually helped me immensely during the latter part of my playing career and allowed me to continue performing at the highest level.”
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“ What excites me most about stepping into coaching full-time is the opportunity to give back to a sport that has given me so much,” she explained.
“ I’ ve been fortunate to learn from incredible coaches, teammates and environments throughout my career, and I now have the opportunity to pass some of those lessons and experiences on to the next generation of players.
“ I want to help create an environment where players can grow not only as athletes, but as people … Sometimes your role is simply to meet a player where they are, help them take that next step, and prepare them for wherever their journey takes them next.”
If it’ s anything like her own journey, it will certainly be an exhilarating one.
Pretorius admits that making the decision to end her playing career wasn’ t easy, but it’ s something she is at peace with.
“ Of course, closing a chapter that has been such a big part of my life for so many years is emotional. Netball has given me incredible opportunities, relationships and memories, and I will always be grateful for that.
“ I do think already being involved in coaching made the transition easier. I wasn’ t walking away from the game completely; my role was simply changing …
“ That gave me a lot of excitement and purpose for what comes next and helped me feel that it was the right time to step away from playing.” As for the legacy she leaves, Pretorius can be justifiably proud.
“ I’ m most proud of the way I executed my role, both on and off the court. Throughout my career there were incredible highs, but also difficult moments, and through all of it, I tried to remain consistent in who I was, how I prepared and what I brought to the team.
“ Looking back, I’ m proud that through the good times and the challenging ones, I stayed true to my values and consistently gave my best.”
Now her next challenge awaits as Pretorius heads full-time into the world of coaching. It’ s not new to her, having already guided the Mangaung side at the Spar National Netball Championships on two occasions. But now she’ s officially also taken over the reins from one of her mentors, Burta de Kock, as Head Coach of KovsieNetball. And she can’ t wait. www. modernathlete. co. za 7