Ella Bayliss: DC North East Blaze star back on court after birth of her first child

The birth of a first child almost invariably throws a new mum’s life into chaos and all plans quickly need a rethink.

The birth of a first child almost invariably throws a new mum’s life into chaos and all plans quickly need a rethink.

Dynamic DC North-East Blaze wing attack Ella Bayliss thought it could well spell the end of her career.

But, just eight weeks after the birth of son Knoxie on May 8, Balyliss made her return to the Championship Division netball court

And, she played 56 minutes of the hour-long stoush.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I really thought I might be done,” she said. “I was so happy, of course, but part of me was just devastated that this might be my last game of netball.

“But everyone said, ‘Ella you’re only 27, it’s not like you’re 40’.”

Hers was no simple return to Wednesday night social netball. A state squad member, ANL player and Collingwood Magpies training partner, Ella Bayliss has a pretty handy CV.

“I always said I didn’t want to come back until I was as good as I was when I stopped,” she said.

But, needing her classy midcourter to touch the court in 24 quarters to qualify for this year’s finals, coach Kate Upton accelerated her comeback.

Just 50 days after the blessed arrival, she was back on the floor for a Division 1 clash against Melbourne University Lightning.

A week later she was suiting up and starting on the bench in a big pre-finals test of strength against the ladder-leading Hawks.

“I would have liked a slower transition but Kate said ‘you need to qualify, you’re playing’,” Bayliss said. “As soon as I got cleared by the doctor, Kate said ‘you’re back in’.”

“I started on the bench but we were going to make a sub and I tried to avoid eye contact with Kate. I really struggled in the last quarter, I don’t think I played as well as I did in the first half.

Ella Bayliss runs husband Jarrod through a few of the finer points Picture: Steve Tanner

“But sometimes I think she knows what I’m capable of better than me.”

While surprised to be back in action so soon, Bayliss is still frustrated to be well short of what she sees is her best.

“Definitely fitness, and match fitness is different to everything else,” she said. “You know where you want to go but you just can’t get there. Your feet just can’t seem to do it.

“I have to play a slightly different way.”

Blending motherhood with another Blaze finals tilt has also taken a level of organisation Bayliss had never previously experienced.

Sterilising bottles as well as packing both the nappy bag and kit bag are now part of her match day ritual.

“You have to leave two hours early rather than just running out the door,” she sighed.

And don’t even think about starting a discussion about the relative toughness of footballers and netballers. Husband Jarrod (coach of Park Orchards in Eastern Football League Division 2) made that mistake.

“He had a hamstring injury about two weeks after he (Knoxie) was born and he was saying, ‘Oh, it’s excruciating pain’,” Bayliss thundered. “And I just looked at him and said ‘are you genuine? You need to shoosh right now’.”

DC North East Blaze currently sits a game outside the top four but with Bayliss running fitness into her legs and ANL players Mary Livesey, Micaela Wilson and Cody Lange returning to the line-up, it will press for a finals berth and set about defending its 2017 premiership.