Laura Clemesha
{{short description|Australian netball player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox netball biography
|name = Laura Clemesha
|image = Brisbane Firebirds Netball Players-02 (16146263459) Laura Clemesha.jpg
|caption = Laura Clemesha with the Queensland Firebirds in 2015
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|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|01|21|df=yes}}{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/netballnsw/docs/2016_swifts_insider_issue_5_final_h|title=Swifts Insider - Vol 9, Issue 5|work=issu.com|quote=Refer to pp. 8}}
|birth_place = Toowoomba, Queensland{{cite web|url=https://supernetball.com.au/players/laura-clemesha/|title=Laura Clemsha profile|work=Super Netball|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809123425/https://supernetball.com.au/player/laura-clemesha|archivedate=9 August 2019}}
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|height = {{height|m=1.90|precision=0}}{{cite web|url=https://firebirds.net.au/player-profiles/laura-clemesha-2018|title=Laura Clemesha profile|work=Queensland Firebirds|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327051007/https://firebirds.net.au/player-profiles/laura-clemesha-2018/|archivedate=27 March 2019}}
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|positions = GK, GD
|clubyears1 = 2013–2019
|clubteam1 = Queensland Firebirds
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Laura Clemesha (born 21 January 1992) is a retired Australian netball player.
Career
Clemesha grew up in the south-eastern Queensland city of Toowoomba and was school captain of her private secondary school Downlands College, before moving to the Sunshine Coast for university and her netball career.{{cite web|url=https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoomba-talent-wants-to-step-up-for-firebirds/3143877/|title=Toowoomba talent wants to step up for Firebirds|work=The Toowoomba Chronicle|date=15 February 2017}} She debuted for the Queensland Firebirds in the ANZ Championship competition in 2013 and was part of the team's back-to-back premiership successes in 2015 and 2016. After being utilised off the bench in those years, Clemesha was re-signed to a more high-profile role ahead of the 2017 season, replacing long-time captain Laura Geitz at goal keeper.{{cite news|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/netball/laura-clemesha-steps-up-to-hold-firebirds-fortress/news-story/1319088c515f49aadd95f8949f96be91|title=Laura Clemesha steps up to hold Firebirds' fortress|work=The Courier Mail|date=20 September 2016}} She continued to play in that role for several years before announcing her retirement at the end of the 2019 season.{{cite web|url=https://supernetball.com.au/news/firebirds-duo-set-hang-boots|title=Firebirds Duo Set To Hang Up Boots|work=Super Netball|date=9 August 2019}}
Clemesha came out as gay in 2017 in a piece for her local newspaper The Caboolture News.{{cite web|url=https://www.outsports.com/2017/4/7/15201338/netball-gay-laura-clemesha|title=Pro netball player comes out, never faced homophobia on the court|work=Out In Sports|date=7 April 2017}}
Clemesha completed a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Class 1 Honours) in 2017 and a Master of Organisational Psychology in 2020 at the University of Queensland.{{cite web|url=https://www.listennotes.com/bg/podcasts/the-armchair-fan/ep-16-talking-qld-firebirds-JSBa1zWryiA/a|title=Talking Qld Firebirds Retirement, Sexuality & Overcoming Self Doubt with Laura Clemesha|work=The Armchair Fan|date=19 February 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190327051007/https://firebirds.net.au/player-profiles/laura-clemesha-2018/ Queensland Firebirds profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190809123425/https://supernetball.com.au/player/laura-clemesha Suncorp Super Netball profile]
- [https://netball.draftcentral.com.au/player/laura-clemesha/ Netball Draft Central profile]
{{2015 Queensland Firebirds squad}}
{{2016 Queensland Firebirds squad}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clemsha, Laura}}
Category:Australian netball players
Category:21st-century Australian sportswomen
Category:Queensland Firebirds players
Category:Netball players from Queensland
Category:LGBTQ netball players
Category:Australian lesbian sportswomen
Category:Australian Institute of Sport netball players
Category:Australian Netball League players
Category:Queensland Fusion players