{{short description|South African netball player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox netball biography |name = Karla Pretorius |image = |caption = <!-- Personal information --> |fullname = |birth_name = Karla Mostert |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|03|12|df=yes}} |birth_place = East London, South Africa |height = {{height|m=1.81}} |school = Laerskool Hennopspark,<br />Hoërskool Zwartkop,<br />Centurion |university = University of the Free State |occupation = Professional Netball Player / Dietician |relatives = |spouse = {{married|Werner Pretorius|9 September 2017}} |children = <!-- Netball information --> |positions = GD, WD |clubyears1 = 2009–2015 |clubteam1 = UFS Kovsies |clubyears2 = 2013–2016 |clubteam2 = Free State Crinums |clubyears3 = 2016 |clubteam3 = Team Bath |clubyears4 = 2016–2023 |clubteam4 = Sunshine Coast Lightning |nationalyears1 = 2011– |nationalteam1 = South Africa |nationalcaps1 = 77 |medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry|{{nb|South Africa}}}} {{MedalCompetition|World University Netball Championship}} {{MedalGold|2016 Miami|Team}} {{MedalSilver|2012 Cape Town|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|Fast5 Netball World Series}} {{MedalBronze|2012 Auckland|Team}} }}
'''Karla Pretorius'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/team/karla-pretorius-nee-mostert/|title=Karla Pretorius (Née Mostert)|access-date=1 December 2017|archive-date=27 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327112951/https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/team/karla-pretorius-nee-mostert/|url-status=dead}}</ref> (née Mostert; born 12 March 1990) is a South African netball player, and has represented her country with the South Africa national netball team. She plays in the positions of Goal Defence (GD) and Wing Defence (WD).
She previously played for the Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Suncorp Super Netball competition.
== International career - Team Bath and Sunshine Coast Lightning == Before joining the Sunshine Coast Lightning, Pretorius played for the UK based Team Bath<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.teambath.com/2011/03/27/karla-mostert/|title=Karla Mostert {{!}} Team Bath|website=www.teambath.com|date=27 March 2011|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> in the Netball Superleague alongside fellow Protea teammate Lenize Potgieter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/netball/news/12415/10019641/lenize-potgieter-and-karla-mostert-have-signed-for-team-bath|title=Lenize Potgieter and Karla Mostert have signed for Team Bath|website=Sky Sports|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Pretorius currently plays for Sunshine Coast Lightning in the Australian Super Netball league, and has won back-to-back premierships with the club (in 2017 and 2018). In 2017 she won the MVP award for her performance in the Grand Final.<ref name="WWOSGF">{{cite web|url=http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/06/17/21/09/sunshine-coast-win-super-netball-title|title=Sunshine Coast win Super Netball title|date=17 June 2017|work=Wide World of Sports|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617133232/http://wwos.nine.com.au/2017/06/17/21/09/sunshine-coast-win-super-netball-title|archivedate=17 June 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites/theaustralian/subscribe.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/netball/lightnings-unknown-superstar/news-story/3763bac33b820450db3b7029a7189efa?nk=9e65ddc9ee4b3e1e95bf7a4e7fb68110-1554770037&memtype=anonymous|title=Subscribe to The Australian {{!}} Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps|website=myaccount.news.com.au|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> She then shared the club's Player of the Year award with teammate Stephanie Wood for their performance in the 2018 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/stars-shine-at-end-of-season-award-ceremony/|title=Stars shine at end of season awards ceremony|date=16 September 2018|work=Sunshine Coast Lightning}}</ref> She was named in the Super Netball team of the year 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-24/super-netball:sunshine-coast-lightning-grand-final/10160292|title=Meet Lightning's 'silent assassin' set to strike twice in Super Netball final|last=Atkinson|first=Bruce|date=2018-08-24|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://myaccount.news.com.au/sites/theaustralian/subscribe.html?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&mode=premium&dest=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/netball/lightnings-unknown-superstar/news-story/3763bac33b820450db3b7029a7189efa?nk=24fa5af808b9e874b0376f7384ddf2b1-1554770137&memtype=anonymous|title=Subscribe to The Australian {{!}} Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps|website=myaccount.news.com.au|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> She is the first South African to feature in the Super Netball league. Unlike South Africa, in Australia netball is a professional sport, which means that Pretorius is being paid to do what she loves most.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://200ysa.mg.co.za/2017/karla-mostert/|title=Karla Mostert – 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>
Pretorius and her husband, Werner Pretorius, married on 9 September 2017. On 13 December 2021, she announced her pregnancy and therefore had to withdraw from next year's competitions, promising to be back in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/netbalster-hak-knoop-stylvol-deur-20170910|title=Netbalster hak knoop stylvol deur|last=Bruwer|first=Deur Ruan|date=2017-09-10|website=Netwerk24|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>
== South Africa national netball team== Source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.netball-sa.co.za/player/karla-pretorius/|title=Karla Pretorius {{!}} Netball South Africa|website=www.netball-sa.co.za|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>
Pretorius is the vice-captain of the South Africa national netball team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.iol.co.za/sport/netball/sa-netball-name-squads-for-diamond-challenge-in-limpopo-18266079|title=SA netball name squads for Diamond Challenge in Limpopo {{!}} IOL|website=www.iol.co.za|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Pretorius holds 77 senior South African caps, including appearances at the Commonwealth Games (2014 and 2018) and the Netball World Cup (2015). She participated in the 2011 World Netball Series, held in Liverpool, UK, the INF Netball World Cup 2015 held in Sydney, Australia, the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://results.gc2018.com/en/netball/athlete-profile-n6006143-karla-pretorius.htm|title=Netball {{!}} Athlete Profile: Karla PRETORIUS - Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games|website=results.gc2018.com|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Pretorius confirmed her status as one of international netball's standout defenders with a series of tenacious performances at the 2015 Netball World Cup held in Sydney, Australia. She made the most intercepts of any player – 28 in total – as South Africa finished fifth overall in the tournament. She also played for the Spar Proteas U/21 side and having made her international debut for the Proteas in 2011. Pretorius was named the Player of the Tournament at the 2019 Vitality Netball World Cup held in Liverpool, England.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/karla-pretorius-player-of-the-2019-netball-world-cup/|title = South Africa's Karla Pretorius named Player of the 2019 Netball World Cup|date = 22 July 2019}}</ref> South Africa finished fourth at the 2023 Netball World Cup after managing to beat Jamaica by 55 goals to 52.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-07-14 |title=Proteas beat Jamaica in an end to end Netball World Cup match |url=https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/proteas-beat-jamaica-in-an-end-to-end-netball-world-cup-match/ |access-date=2023-09-17 |website=SABC News |language=en-US}}</ref> The Proteas narrowly lost against world number 1 the Australian Diamonds during the semi-finals with 55 over 53 of South Africa.
== Career at the University of the Free State and Free State Crinums== Source:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/netball-south-africa/bfnpl2017-team-profile-free-state-crinums/10155120753968788/|title=BFNPL2017 Team Profile: Free State Crinums {{!}} Facebook|website=www.facebook.com|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>
Karla previously played for the netball team of the University of the Free State (Kovsies), between 2009 and 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufs.ac.za/templates/news-archive-item/campus-news/2018/december/karla-taking-netball-world-by-storm|title=News Archive Item|website=www.ufs.ac.za|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> She represented Free State Crinums who won back to back titles in 2014 and 2015 Brutal Fruit Netball Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brandsouthafrica.com/people-culture/sport/sports-news/netball-brutal-fruit-100614|title=Free State Crinums crowned SA netball champs|last=Mafika|date=2014-06-10|website=Brand South Africa|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Local/Express-News/Brutal-Fruit-netball-champions-rewarded-20150609|title=Brutal Fruit netball champions rewarded|date=2015-06-10|website=News24|language=en|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> Karla was awarded the 2014 and 2015 Varsity Netball Player of the Tournament award.
Karla completed her Bachelors in Dietetics at the University of the Free State and obtained her Masters in Dietetics at the institution early 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://supernetball.com.au/players/karla-mostert/|title=Karla Pretorius|website=Suncorp Super Netball|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> She is currently reading towards a Diploma in Sports Management through the University of South Africa (UNISA). She worked as a community dietitian in Bloemfontein during 2015.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.peoplemagazine.co.za/celebrity-news/local-celebrities/happy-birthday-karla-pretorius/|title=Happy Birthday, Karla Pretorius! {{!}} People Magazine|website=www.peoplemagazine.co.za|access-date=2019-04-09}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She was also named as Sportswoman of the Year by the University of the Free State in 2015. KovsieSport awarded Karla as UFS Sportswoman of the Year in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufs.ac.za/media/media?NewsItemID=7940|title=Wayde, Karla shine again at KovsieSport gala night|website=www.ufs.ac.za|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bloemfonteincourant.co.za/mostert-excited-ahead-australian-challenge/|title=Mostert excited ahead of Australian challenge|last=Piek|first=Morgan|date=2016-09-29|website=Bloemfontein Courant|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref> In 2017, Pretorius was named one of Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://200ysa.mg.co.za/2017/karla-mostert/|title=Karla Mostert – 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-09}}</ref>
==References== <references />
==External links== * [https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/team/karla-pretorius-nee-mostert/ Sunshine Coast Lightning official player profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327112951/https://sunshinecoastlightning.com.au/team/karla-pretorius-nee-mostert/ |date=27 March 2020 }}. Retrieved on 2017-12-01. * [https://supernetball.com.au/players/karla-mostert/ Suncorp Super Netball player profile]. Retrieved on 2017-12-01.
{{2017 Sunshine Coast Lightning squad}} {{2018 Sunshine Coast Lightning squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pretorius, Karla}} Category:South African netball players Category:Sunshine Coast Lightning players Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Netball players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games Category:2019 Netball World Cup players Category:Netball Superleague players Category:South African expatriate netball people in Australia Category:South African expatriate netball people in England Category:Team Bath netball players Category:Suncorp Super Netball players Category:Commonwealth Games netball players for South Africa Category:2011 World Netball Championships players Category:2023 Netball World Cup players Category:Sportspeople from East London, South Africa Category:Free State Crinums players Category:Premier Netball League (South Africa) players Category:Varsity Netball players Category:South Africa international Fast5 players Category:21st-century South African sportswomen Category:2012 World University Netball Championship players Category:2016 World University Netball Championship players