Super Netball mum Renae Ingles hopes twins and comeback helps to inspire other mums to get back in to sport after giving birth

ADELAIDE Thunderbirds star Renae Ingles hopes her netball comeback after having twins can inspire other mums to “get back out there” and continue with their careers.

Renae Ingles (Thunderbirds) intercepts a ball from Serena Guthrie (Giants). Picture Roger Wyman

ADELAIDE Thunderbirds star Renae Ingles hopes her netball comeback after having twins can inspire other mums to “get back out there” and continue with their careers.

Renae, 30, returned to the court in Super Netball on March 25 – eight months to the day since giving birth to Jacob and Milla in Melbourne and a year-and-a-half after her last top-level game.

Today, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist is celebrating her first Mother’s Day with her Mum, Margaret, as well as basketball star husband Joe, who has flown home from Utah after the Jazz’s NBA playoffs exit to reunite with Renae and the twins.

Renae Ingles with twins Milla and Jacob

For Renae, it is an opportunity to not only cherish the special occasion, but reflect on how she has managed to juggle motherhood and her sporting love.

She says she could not have done it without the support of Margaret, who has moved from Melbourne to help look after the twins while Joe has been in the US, Joe, the Thunderbirds and the league, which has an improved pregnancy policy to help mothers return to action.

“Having kids and being a mum is without a doubt the best job in the entire world but my heart still bled netball,” Renae, of Everard Park, says.

“There were those questions in my mind: ‘could I do it?’ Can I still get out there? Do I still have that passion?’

“It’s all been really exciting and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to do to get back out onto the court but it certainly hasn’t been easy.

“I hope it inspires more mums out there to do the same, get back out there and continue with their goals and careers.

“It can be done ... if you have the right support networks in place and you’re passionate enough.”

To prepare for her comeback, Renae trained solo six or seven times a week in Salt Lake City.

She would run on her home treadmill during snowstorms, fit workouts in when the twins slept and combined conditioning and gym sessions with social basketball.

Renae Ingles in training with twins Milla and Jacob rugged up in the pusher. Pic: Instagram

“I was on court and throwing and catching, just not in a netball arena or the level I was used to.

“But it was great fun and I was part of a team, which is what I’m passionate about and missed the most.

“(Thunderbirds coach) Dan (Ryan) and I kept in contact the entire time.

“We looked at the entire situation – Thunderbirds, the kids and I, and where Joe was at with his season.

“Joe was going to be away quite a lot and we thought ‘this might actually work’.”

Renae was initially named as a training partner for the Thunderbirds in early March but was called up to play Queensland Firebirds at Adelaide Arena a fortnight later.

“Obviously it happened a lot sooner than we thought.

“I’m loving being back out there and just being part of a team.”

Adelaide Thunderbirds netball star Renae Ingles with her twins Milla (in pink) and Jacob (in blue). Picture: Supplied

Joe flew from the US to Brisbane to meet Renae on Friday and watched her play against the Firebirds last night.

They returned to Adelaide this morning to spend “well-earnt time together as a family”.

“I am really excited for Mother’s Day, not necessarily for me but to celebrate my Mum and how incredible she has been for the twins and I,” Renae says.

“The love and support she has provided for us, especially while being away from Joe, has been priceless.

“It’s a really fun age with the kids and we are looking forward to enjoying it together.”

Originally published as Super Netball mum Renae Ingles hopes twins and comeback helps to inspire other mums to get back in to sport after giving birth