Silver Fern Irene van Dyk was a hit with her pupils at Ferguson Intermediate yesterday when she turned up to work with her Halberg Award.
The Upper Hutt teacher was named the New Zealand sportswoman of the year, edging out her Silver Fern team-mate Temepara Clark, world squash championCarol Owens and world mountain running champion Melissa Moon.
"I honestly didn't think I was going to get it in a team sport and against the opposition I had," said van Dyk, who averaged over 90 per cent shooting accuracy in the world championships.
"Temepara Clark, Carol Owens and Melissa Moon are just legends in their own right."
Following their 49-47 win over Australia in the final of the world netball championships, the Silver Ferns won three of the four major categories at the awards.
Along with the sportswoman of the year award, Silver Ferns coach Ruth Aitken was named coach of the year, the Silver Ferns were the team of the year and also took out the supreme prize, the Halberg Award.
"That was just the cherry on the cake," van Dyk said of the overall award. "That was such a perfect end to a perfect year."
South African-born van Dyk, who moved with her husband and young daughter to New Zealand in 2000, said the award made her feel like a "real" New Zealander.
"You know, when you sit in a room and at each table are sitting absolute legends. I had Russell Coutts and the sevens guys ... looking around you go, 'What on earth am I doing here?'."
But there is little time for van Dyk and the Ferns to bask in their success.
A New Zealand squad of 16, which includes 12 members from the world champion side, leave on Tuesday for Adelaide for a series of games against Commonwealth Bank Trophy teams.
