Diamonds netballer Laura Geitz part of Australian team baby boom
LISA Alexander has lost almost an entire team to a Diamonds baby boom with captain Laura Geitz the latest to hit the sidelines as an expectant mum.
Women's sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Women's sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- What's next for the Diamonds?
- Netballer wins Play of the Week
- Complete guide to the Paralympics
- Laura Enever creating waves
- Netball knocks radical rule change on head
LISA Alexander has lost almost an entire team to a Diamonds baby boom with captain Laura Geitz the latest to hit the sidelines as an expectant mum.
Alexander on Sunday said the door is open for both long-serving captain Geitz and new mother of twins Renae Ingles to return to netball if they choose.
“I always say family first but they have really taken it literally,’’ Alexander laughed.
Four members of the Australian team which won the World Cup last year — Julie Corletto, Bec Bulley, Ingles and now Geitz — are either mums or expectant mums.
Ingles, married to NBA star Joe, gave birth to twins just prior to her husband playing at the Olympics with the Boomers.
Since taking the reigns as national coach four years ago, Alexander has also lost vice-captain and shooter Catherine Cox and former captain Natalie von Bertouch to motherhood.
Alexander said a succession plan has long been in place to continually feed young talent to the Diamonds but she would be delighted to see any of her mums return to top-level netball.
“We are a women’s sport and we have to do everything to support women coming back to play,’’ she said.
“I’m completely supportive if Renae and Laura want to return we will do everything to be supportive of that. But they would always have to earn their sports.
Geitz on the weekend confirmed speculation she is 15 weeks pregnant with her and husband Mark’s first child.
She will miss both the Constellation Cup against New Zealand in October — including a match in Sydney at the scene of the Diamond’s World Cp triumph — and next year’s still-to-be-named new national netball league.
Geitz captained the Queensland Firebirds to a double extra-time trans-Tasman netball league grand final win over the NSW Swifts at the end of July when she was pregnant.
In her stellar career with the Diamonds Geitz has racked up 64 Test caps for Australia, including only three losses in 29 matches as skipper.
“I’ve been offered the most amazing job opportunity for next year that I just can’t turn down,’’ Geitz told her Firebirds teammates after their grand final win, as reported in Stellar.
“You get to a point in your life where you realise that when some job opportunities come along, they are just too good to let go.
“So, next year,” she continued, “I am going to be … a mum.”
####
Matildas loss rugby’s gain as teens help Aussies end long Sevens drought
Grit, a fighting spirit and a pair of young guns - including one that was touted as a future Matilda - have helped Australia end a seven-year-long drought in rugby sevens.
NRLW gun Keeley Davis keeping close tabs on future teammates – and rivals
She is one of the pioneers of NRLW but now this rugby league talent is playing a hand in the development of her future teammates - and potential rivals.