When Karin Burger isn’t putting in the hard preseason grind on the netball court, she’ll be on the hunt for the best café in Christchurch – and she’s open to recommendations.
The Good Oil Tactix’ new recruit was working hard at the Apollo Projects Centre in Christchurch this week as she and her new team-mates continued their build-up for the 2021 ANZ Premiership.
“It’s been so good getting back out on court and hitting the preseason even though it’s all a little new to me this year,” she said.
“It’s felt an easy transition with the Tactix and I feel like I’ve slotted in well with the team so far.”
The transition off court starts with exploring Christchurch and the Canterbury region further and the 27-year-old, a self-confessed ‘café hopper’, is open to suggestions on the best place to visit.
“Coming from Wellington, I’m quite a big café hopper so I’m going to have to try and find the good spots in Christchurch,” she said.
The move south has been a big one for the Silver Fern, not that the defender is a stranger to big career moves having made the bold step to leave her family behind in South Africa to follow her netball dreams as an 18-year-old in New Zealand.
Burger expects another steep learning curve this season with The Good Oil Tactix – new team-mates and a new coach – but she’s ready to embrace the learnings both on and off court.
“I’m trying to be comfortable in the uncomfortable,” she said. “I think that unpredictability can just enhance those life skills.”
From the shy teenager who “wouldn’t put my hand up for anything”, to the world champion Silver Fern defender, Burger’s reputation as a world-class defender continues to grow.
It was the chance to regularly play as a circle defender – a role she has filled for the Silver Ferns since her 2018 debut – which prompted Burger to leave Wellington where she had spent four seasons with the Central Pulse and won back-to-back ANZ Premiership titles.
“It all happened quite fast,” she said of the decision-making process. “I really wanted to play goal defence and also having different coaching styles was a motivating factor.
“And then there’s the off court stuff like building my leadership skills. Being away from my ‘comfortable’ and being forced to make decisions you don’t usually have to make was all part of the reason to move.”
That decision-making process still included a long phone call to her parents, Alma and Gerrit, who live in Vredendal, and a trip to Christchurch to chat with Tactix coach Marianne Delaney-Hoshek.
“Being able to see the environment and met the people to see first-hand what it’s like was very important,” Burger said. “And then I have my mum who is a big person in chatting and asking for advice – she’s always researching stuff so her opinion is quite valuable for me.”
“Moving and playing with new people and playing a new position with a new coach, there’s quite a lot of learning for me.
“I want to be able to enjoy it and benefit those around me as well as learn from them – I’m just hoping I put a good product out there.”
Burger will get to play in front of her new fan base for the first time when The Good Oil Tactix head to Timaru for a double-header preseason on March 12 and 13 against the Southern Steel.
She will play in front of a sold-out crowd at the Southern Trusts Events Centre in Timaru on the Friday night while some tickets are still available for the Saturday morning match against the Steel.
