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Firebirds captain Laura Geitz has announced she is expecting her first child.

Netball player Laura Geitz has recently announced her retirement, and now she’s about to embark on a new adventure.

The captain of the Firebirds is expecting her first child.

According to Courier Mail, Geitz, 28, shared the news with her teammates post-game, gathered in the dressing room after a 69–67 finals win against the against the New South Wales Swifts.

“I want to thank you so much for the most amazing year, and for being the most amazing bunch of people,” Geitz said. “What you’ve achieved is so fantastic and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of this team but, as you’ve probably guessed, I do have some news.”

Geitz built up the suspense, leading her teammates to believe she was leaving the team for a better job offer.

“This will be my last game in the purple dress for a while. I’ve been offered the most amazing job opportunity for next year that I just can’t turn down. You get to a point in your life where you realise that when some job opportunities come along, they are just too good to let go.”

“So, next year,” she explained, “I am going to be… a mum.”

Upon receiving this news, the team reportedly burst into cheers.

Geitz shared just how difficult it was to keep the secret from everyone around her.

Got our GOLD on! C’mon you good things @wallabies #strongerasone

A photo posted by LAURA GEITZ (@lmgeitz) on

“Oh, I was just busting to tell someone,” she shared, “but we [husband Mark Gilbride] wanted to get through that first trimester to make sure everything was progressing as it should before I told my netball family.

“ I kept thinking, ‘How am I going to get away with this?’ We are always getting changed together, always wearing crop tops, and I could see my boobs were getting bigger.

Given her demanding profession, Geitz feared that her pregnancy could have gotten the better of her, struggling with morning-sickness during her first trimester.

“Plus, I’ve had morning sickness, so I kept worrying I was going to have to go off court to vomit.”

“Looking back now, I’m pretty amazed I pulled it off.”

The netballer was even more shocked that she managed to get pregnant, as it is notoriously difficult for female athletes to do so given their physically demanding work.

“I’d had one cycle in six months, and I remember our team doctor said to me: ‘You have to let your body realise it’s female, it’s not a machine.”

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A photo posted by LAURA GEITZ (@lmgeitz) on

“We were so happy – stunned – but so happy.”