Eboni Usoro-Brown: England international keen to inspire others on Roses return

Eboni Usoro-Brown has spoken about her return to international netball after childbirth and hopes to inspire other elite athletes and women.

Usoro-Brown returned to an international netball court on Sunday in London and after coming off the bench at half-time, was instrumental in the Roses' victory over Jamaica.

Her arrival at goalkeeper changed their dynamic in defence, challenged the route into Jhaniele Fowler and allowed Layla Guscoth and Beth Cobden to thrive in front of her.

The 33-year-old, who gave birth to her daughter Savannah in August 2020, had documented her return to court and continues to share her journey with the aim of inspiring other elite athletes and women.

Prior to England's opening Test against Jamaica and her return to international netball, Usoro-Brown took to social media to speak openly about her motivations and some of the fears she faced too.

"It's been 861 days or two years, four months and seven days since I last wore the England Roses red dress," Usoro-Brown said on her Instagram channel.

"In 2019 at the Netball World Cup in the bronze medal play-off, I was certain that my Roses journey was complete. I was tired, and exhausted and content after what had been a life-changing four-year cycle. I cried at the end of the game, honestly thinking that it was my last.

"Time away from the international game was what I needed. So, throw in some chosen time, some enforced time due to a global pandemic and a beautiful pregnancy, I certainly got what I asked for. However, during this time I had the opportunity to do some self-reflection.

"My experience as a Rose and the journey/career I have had is not something that I cannot easily put into words, but it can be best described as highly rewarding, challenging, invaluable and has given me memories and friendships that will last my lifetime and will form part of the stories that I will tell my grandchildren."

Usoro-Brown is one of a few athletes to return to elite-level netball in England after childbirth; Sophia Candappa and Tamsin Greenway are two others.

All three believe that with the right support system, and if an athlete has the desire to, motherhood and netball can be combined. At the heart of their beliefs is the view that it shouldn't be an 'either, or' situation when it comes to motherhood and elite sport.

"I gave birth to Savannah in August 2020 and many of you will know that childbirth isn't for the faint-hearted. The female human body changes significantly; it truly is a miracle," Usoro-Brown continued in her Instagram post, prior to the Jamaica Test.

"In turn, many of you will have also followed and witnessed my postpartum journey back to the court, which included hours of physical preparation, unwavering commitment, mental resilience and sheer determination to get back to a standard so that I could compete at Superleague level.

"I can honestly say that I felt a certain level of accomplishment having been able to contribute to the team which would then see us compete in the Grand Final. After the 2021 Superleague season, one thing that I was certain about was that my love for the game had resurfaced and I felt energised to keep pushing on.

"So, when presented with the opportunity over the summer to re-join the Roses, I was confronted with mixed emotions.

"Excitement, at the prospect of again being a part of an elite performance programme, but also fear. The environment I had once known had internally changed, but I too as an elite athlete and now a mother, had changed physically, mentally, emotionally.

"Hopefully other elite athletes, girls and women alike will take something from my journey and be inspired to forge their own, in the knowledge that absolutely anything is possible."

Watch the second and third Tests between England and Jamaica, live on Sky Sports Arena and Mix on Saturday and Sunday. The Tests will also be streamed on the Sky Sports YouTube channel for viewers in the UK and Ireland, coverage starts at 3.45pm on both days.