Melbourne Vixens star Renae Ingles announces her retirement
When she retired the first time, Renae Ingles admits she wasn’t quite ready but the time now feels right for the Melbourne Vixens star to bid farewell to netball.
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Melbourne Vixens star Renae Ingles has confirmed this Super Netball season will be her last, declaring her second farewell to be the “right time”.
Lured out of retirement last year as a replacement player for the pregnant Chloe Watson, the 32-year-old has been a standout performer for the Vixens in what she has described as her second opportunity in the game.
The mum of three-year-old twins, Jacob and Milla, admitted she had not been quite ready to leave the game when she first retired while playing with the Adelaide Thunderbirds in 2017, but knew the time was right now.
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“So many people from different sports have said to me that when you know, you know, and I didn’t understand what they meant,’’ Ingles said.
“When I retired last time, I didn’t know, I just felt like it was the right thing to do at the time, and given the circumstances and the logistics for our family.
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“However, all year this year I’ve just known it’s the right time and it’s right for me and for my family, and I think I’ve enjoyed it a lot more because of that, whereas I didn’t necessarily enjoy retiring last time, because I felt like I wasn’t quite done.’’
The wife of NBA basketballer Joe, Ingles acknowledged the challenges of juggling family life with playing netball this season had been challenging.
The Ingles were shaken when young son Jacob was diagnosed with autism in January while the family was based in Salt Lake City. Promoting awareness for autism has since become a cause close to the couple’s heart.
Ingles said balancing family schedules and Jacob’s intensive therapy combined with netball had been testing.
“It’s just been a tough year off the court,’’ said Ingles, who has been a match MVP three times this season for the Vixens.
“It’s not doom-and-gloom-tough, it’s just tough. It’s just a never-ending feeling of being quite tired, and I’m used to that, and I feel like that is parenthood.
“Turning up to training and turning up to games each weekend, it’s taking a lot of my energy to do that each and every week. I wouldn’t change anything — it’s just logistically challenging.
“So I’ve genuinely enjoyed the netball side of things, and of course I’ll be sad when it’s not there again next year … it’s just that feeling of knowing it’s the right time, and that excites me rather than upsets me.’’
Ingles will line-up for her last official home game of the regular season with the Vixens when they face a critical clash against the Sunshine Coast Lightning on Sunday. The Magpies will host the final-round derby.
Sitting third on the Super Netball ladder, the Vixens are aiming to secure the double chance and Ingles was determined to go out on a high with the team.
“Hopefully (I can) tell the kids that they were in the crowd and showing them photos of them in the crowd at an SSN grand final in 2019 with a medal around my neck,” Ingles said.