Jan umpired that 1981 test against England, one of four internationals she took charge of.
Now 77, the resident of Summerset on Cavendish village in Casebrook won a competition to fly to Auckland and deliver the match ball to the New Zealand and Australia captains ahead of their October 23 Constellation Cup match, which was won 63-52 by the Kiwis.
Jan described it as a “magical moment”.
"It was great, netball’s been my life really,” she said.
"It was something that perhaps you didn’t dream about because when we were involved, you threw the ball to the centre and the game started.
"There’s none of this trotting the ball out and saying hello and good luck and all this sort of thing, but it was special, really special."
The competition she won was set up by Summerset, which sponsors the Silver Ferns.
It asked residents to explain why they thought they’d be the ideal person for the job.
"I just wrote a few words about how I’d been involved with netball for a number of years and how I’d umpired my first test in 1981.
"And I still umpire from home, from the lounge chair, but I don’t blow the whistle, as much as I would love to be out there.”
She was on the committee of Canterbury Netball in the 1980s and 90s, and also served as president of the umpires’ association.
Jan still makes sure to tune in to every Silver Ferns game. And she took great delight in their Constellation Cup triumph.
“It’s been a wee while since we’ve beaten Australia, we don’t get a lot.”
