Vitality Netball Superleague: Eboni Usoro-Brown swaps Team Bath for Queensland Firebirds
The England international will play in Suncorp Super Netball for the 2022 season and leaves Team Bath to join Queensland Firebirds; the 33-year-old is excited for the challenge ahead and made the announcement on her social media channel
Friday 8 October 2021 11:46, UK
England international Eboni Usoro-Brown will swap Team Bath Netball for the Queensland Firebirds in Australia for the 2022 season.
The 33-year-old, who won a Commonwealth Games gold medal with England in 2018, returned to Team Bath Netball last season after giving birth to her daughter Savannah.
Throughout her pregnancy and following Savannah's birth, Usoro-Brown was eager to be a role model for women who wish to combine motherhood and elite sport.
"It's incredibly important, for mothers to return and still chase the dream," she said in a Sky Sports interview with Camilla Buchanan.
"My role model has always been Serena Williams. The way in which she had a child, had a number of complications, but then came back and was in the final at Wimbledon a year after, to me spoke volumes.
"In terms of coming back to netball… I wasn't done [with the sport]. Netball been a part of my life since I was a little girl and I love it. I absolutely love it," she added.
Now, Usoro-Brown has announced that she'll be heading to Australia and her new coach at the Queensland Firebirds is thrilled to have secured her signature.
"Eboni brings invaluable experience playing in successful teams, has a commanding presence on court and will offer great knowledge and leadership to our team," Megan Anderson said.
"Fortunately for us she was excited by the opportunity to join the Firebirds in 2022 and came on board.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have a player of Eboni's calibre join the Firebirds and can't wait to see her back as a key defender in SSN."
Usoro-Brown previously played in Australia earlier in her career, having donned the green of West Coast Fever and pink of the Adelaide Thunderbirds.
"I'm really excited to be joining the Firebirds this season and being part of a training and competitive environment that will test me as a player and an athlete and ensure I reach my career goals in what is arguably the most competitive league in the world," Usoro-Brown said.
"They combine elite performance with a family-friendly atmosphere and anyone who knows me will understand what a big decision it has been to leave my Team Bath family."
The signing of Usoro-Brown completes the Queensland Firebirds' squad for the 2022 season.
Meanwhile, Team Bath continue to announce their 2022 roster before the Vitality Netball Superleague's signing window closes on October 15. Jess Shaw and Tash Pavelin are the latest players to be announced by the franchise.
