Magpie star set to step away from netball
RETIRING champion Sharni Layton says her time away from netball to deal with mental health issues made her realise she had nothing left to achieve in the sport.
Layton yesterday announced she will walk away at the end of Collingwood’s campaign in the Super Netball competition early next month.
A large group of staff, current and past players as well as former Australian coach Norma Plummer, who gave Layton her first international cap at the 2011 world cup in Singapore, turned out at Magpies headquarters to farewell the popular defender.
With 46 Test appearances including a stint as captain, Layton hasn’t played for the Diamonds since 2017 and stepped away from the sport entirely for almost six months to deal with mental health problems.
She said during this time she started to reflect on her 14year career achievements, which include world titles with the Diamonds in 2011 and 2015 as well as Commonwealth Games gold in 2014.
“I know that this announcement may come as a shock to the netball community and a lot of people out there but it isn’t a shock to myself and my close friends and family,” Layton said yesterday.
“When I took time off from the sport it made me reflect on my career and I have achieved everything that I could ever have hoped and dreamed of in the netball world.”
Layton wanted to test if she still felt the same once she regained her health. “In coming back this year I know for sure my time in the sport is done so there may be a few sad people out there but please know I’m really excited.”