Laura Geitz

{{Infobox netball biography

|name = Laura Geitz

|image = Firebird during ticker tape parade Brisbane-15 (28866665946).jpg

|caption = Geitz in 2016

|updated = 16 April 2018

|fullname = Laura Nicole Geitz

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|11|4|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Ipswich, Australia {{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

|death_date =

|death_place =

|height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|frac=2|abbr=on}}

|school = The Scots PGC College{{cite news|author=Walsh, Gerard|title=Laura Geitz makes it three-years in a row|work=Warwick Daily News|url=https://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/news/apn-laura-geitz-makes-it-three-years-in-a/127844/|date=8 November 2005|accessdate=17 January 2019}}

|university = Queensland University of Technology{{cite web|author=Somervail, Jemma|title=Laura Geitz on Fire|publisher=QUT Student Guild Sport|url=http://www.guildonline.net/sgdsp/dispsite.php?groupsiteseq=14&pageseq=268|year=2007|accessdate=20 May 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723021401/http://www.guildonline.net/sgdsp/dispsite.php?groupsiteseq=14&pageseq=268|archivedate=23 July 2008|df=dmy-all}}

|spouse = Mark Gilbride

|positions = GK, GD

|clubyears1 = 2008–2018

|clubteam1 = Queensland Firebirds

|clubapps1 = 169

|nationalyears1 = 2008–2018

|nationalteam1 = Australia

|nationalcaps1 = 71

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{nb|Australia}}}}

}}

Laura Geitz (born 4 November 1987) is an Australian former netball player and former captain of the Australian national team. Geitz was selected for the 2008 Australian national team,{{cite news|title=Youth replaces experience for Aus netball|publisher=ABC News|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/10/2114650.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721065747/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/10/2114650.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 July 2012|date=10 December 2007|accessdate=17 January 2019}} and has won a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, a gold medal at the 2011 World Netball Championships and a gold medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games as captain. In domestic netball, Geitz plays for the Queensland Firebirds in the ANZ Championship.[http://www.firebirds.net.au/extra.asp?ID=2453 2009 Queensland Firebirds profile] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090916205044/http://www.firebirds.net.au/extra.asp?ID=2453|date=16 September 2009}}. Retrieved 14 March 2009. She previously captained the AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.

Personal life

Geitz grew up in Allora, Queensland in the Darling Downs region.{{cite web |url=http://www.laurageitz.com.au/blog-bio/ |title=Laura Geitz |website=www.laurageitz.com.au |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150301000606/http://www.laurageitz.com.au/blog-bio/ |archive-date=1 March 2015 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web | title=Australian netball captain Laura Geitz says her father Ross inspired her to reach the top

| website=Couriermail.com.au | date=30 November 2021 | url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/australian-netball-captain-laura-geitz-says-her-father-ross-inspired-her-to-reach-the-top/news-story/50a1ee4e24eb9c69cb46eeac9154b951| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309210911/https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/australian-netball-captain-laura-geitz-says-her-father-ross-inspired-her-to-reach-the-top/news-story/50a1ee4e24eb9c69cb46eeac9154b951| url-status=dead| archive-date=9 March 2022}} Geitz gave birth to a son on 25 February 2017.{{cite news|author=Kristy Symonds|date=28 February 2017|title=Laura Geitz gives birth to baby boy|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/confidential/laura-geitz-gives-birth-to-baby-boy/news-story/922d12a49d5277d067a5dee3ee1dd64b|website=Courier Mail|publisher=News Corporation|access-date=17 January 2019}}

Career

In 2011, Geitz played a major role for the Queensland Firebirds in their undefeated ANZ Championship win. In addition, Geitz was part of the Diamonds squad for the 2011 Netball World Championships in Singapore. Although Geitz did not play as Goal Keeper in the first half against New Zealand (Susan Fuhrmann played Goal Keeper for the first half), her impact helped recover a six-goal deficit to force the match into overtime. This move proved to be successful as the Diamonds prevailed over their rivals in a one-goal victory.

Geitz was honoured with the Liz Ellis Diamond in 2011.{{cite web|title=Laura Geitz|url=https://netball.com.au/players/laura-geitz-captain/|website=netball.com.au|publisher=Netball Australia|accessdate=17 January 2019}} She has 32 Test Caps for Australia.

In 2013, she led the Australian team for the first time, winning the 2013 Constellation Cup against New Zealand.{{citation |url=https://netball.com.au/australian-diamonds-win-constellation-cup-title/|title=Australian Diamonds win Constellation Cup title|publisher=Netball Australia|date=7 October 2013|accessdate=17 January 2019}} In 2014, Geitz was named captain of the Australian Netball Team to compete at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Under her captaincy the team defeated the New Zealand National Netball Team in the gold medal match, ending Australia's 12-year gold medal drought at the Commonwealth Games. In 2015, Geitz captained the Queensland Firebirds to the championship, winning over the New South Wales Swifts to secure the ANZ Championship for that season.

Geitz remained at the Firebirds through the first two seasons of the new Suncorp Super Netball league. She announced her retirement from international team duties in July 2018, having been capped 71 times for her country.{{cite news|author=Rachel Riga|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-09/laura-geitz-retires-from-international-netball/9958016|title=Laura Geitz retires from international netball|work=ABC News|date=9 July 2018|accessdate=17 January 2019}} Later that year, Geitz retired from domestic netball as well, ending her career with 169 domestic league caps and two Player of the Year awards (2011 and 2014) in the old ANZ Championship competition.{{cite web|url=https://supernetball.com.au/2018/08/31/geitz-announces-retirement/|title=Geitz Announces Retirement|work=Suncorp Super Netball|date=31 August 2018|accessdate=17 January 2019}}

Honours

In May 2017, a bronze statue depicting Geitz was officially unveiled by Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondal.{{cite news|last=Craddock|first=Robert|date=12 May 2017|title=Queensland Firebirds former captain Laura Geitz honoured with statue|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/netball/queensland-firebirds-former-captain-laura-geitz-honoured-with-statue/news-story/39c388527a4a0a067b6e6204f609b745|url-access=subscription|work=The Courier-Mail|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=13 April 2022}} The statue was created by sculptor Liam Hardy who spent 700 hours carving out a likeness of Geitz, depicting her on her toe tips with her right arm stretched for a fingertip touch of the ball.

In 2020, it was announced a 4-foot tall statuette, a replica of the full sized bronze statue, would be unveiled in her hometown of Allora.{{cite news |last=Clooney|first=Emily|date=10 March 2020|title=Geitz statuette to stand proud in Allora|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/warwick/sport/geitz-statuette-to-stand-proud-in-allora/news-story/97d8ecb0e77b4e4507a5dd646a6f1dce|url-access=subscription|work=Warwick Daily News|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=13 April 2022}} However, before its official unveiling at Allora's sports museum, the statuette was allegedly damaged by vandals and the ball that Geitz was depicted as touching which was allegedly pried from the statue and stolen.{{cite news|last=Clooney|first=Emily|date=7 April 2020|title=Sporting statue robbed before official unveiling|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/warwick/sporting-statue-robbed-before-official-unveiling/news-story/548b235d0d74ebc404c437d66e92c753|url-access=subscription|work=Warwick Daily News|publisher=News Corp Australia|location= |access-date=13 April 2022}}