Laura Geitz
Ambassador
Laura came to know Childhood Cancer Support through her relationships with some of our young residents, who are keen netball fans. Seeing the benefit and incredible services that Childhood Cancer Support have on offer, alongside the impact childhood cancer has on regional families, Laura was keen to get on board. Having grown up in the small town of Allora on the Darling Downs, Laura loves chatting with our families about living in the country.
Laura Geitz is one of the most recognised and regarded female role models in Australian sport. Laura retired from netball in 2018, having established herself as one of Australia’s greatest players. Renowned as a high-impact player, well known for her quick-thinking and game changing intercepts. Geitz competed in two successful Netball World Cup campaigns, won a Commonwealth Games gold and silver medal and lead the Queensland Firebirds to domestic Championship titles in 2011, 2015 and 2016.
Announcing her pregnancy after the 2016 ANZ Championship victory over the NSW Swifts, Laura took a break from the game to tackle her greatest achievement, becoming a mother to Barney Ross Gilbride, born in February 2017. After a short 10 months enjoying all the new challenges of motherhood and working hard to regain her strength and fitness, Laura made the decision to make herself available for selection to return to highest level of netball and was selected to represent Australia at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018, along with returning to the Firebirds team for the 2018 Suncorp Super Netball season.
Laura played a pivotal role during the Commonwealth Games and although they were beaten in the grand final by a stronger England team on the day, Laura was able to enjoy what was to be her final game in the green and gold in front of a home crowd.
Laura forged a consistent and highly distinguished international career with the Diamonds over a ten-year period from 2008. In 2013 she was named as only the second Queenslander to captain Australia’s most successful women’s sporting team in history. In her maiden season as Captain, Laura led the Diamonds to a Constellation Cup victory over New Zealand as well as completing a clean sweep in the International Test Series.
At the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Laura captained the Diamonds to a gold medal, ending Australia’s 12 year gold medal drought. To add to her international accomplishments, Laura captained the Diamonds to a 2015 World Championship win in Sydney in front of a record-breaking crowd.
Laura grew up in the small country town of Allora on the Darling Downs where she loves to return and spend time with her family. She has strong family values and is well known for her modest and humble ways. She runs a successful business, with fellow Firebird and Diamond, Clare McMeniman where they offer high performance coaching clinics to aspiring young athletes through their hugely successful “Fuel2Fly” program.
Laura enjoys working with her corporate partners, whose values are reflective of her healthy lifestyle, love of netball, great outdoors and family. Laura’s depth of knowledge, popularity and charisma has recently secured her commentator roles with Netball Australia, Channel 9 and NewsCorp.
Awards and Accolades
2013 Netball Queensland Member’s Player of the Year
2013 – 2016 Captain of the Australian Diamonds
2013 – 2016 Captain of the Queensland Firebirds
2011 Firebirds Player’s Player
2011 Awarded the prestigious Liz Ellis Diamond
2010 Queensland Firebirds Player of the Year