From motherhood to the Opals: Garbin’s remarkable return

Unsure if she’d ever return to basketball after giving birth to her firstborn daughter, Rose, Darcee Garbin has made a spectacular comeback in the green and gold.

Welcoming Rose into the family over the holidays, Garbin was content never picking up a basketball again. To be playing for the Opals only seven months later was a shock to the 31-year-old mum.

“When I was pregnant I really wasn't sure whether I was gonna come back and play basketball or not. I was quite content that if that was it, that was it,” she said.

“But I went to Hoops Fest in January this year and I really thought, ‘you know what, I can do this and I still have that burning desire to do it and if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna give it a good crack and play at the highest level possible'."

Easing herself back through the NBL1 West, Garbin explained after a few months of playing she feels “back to how I used to be”, leading her to commit to the inaugural Tasmanian Jewels’ roster for WNBL27.

A significant part of her return to the WNBL is Head Coach Claudia Brassard, who Garbin played under for multiple seasons in Townsville, including their 2018 Championship season.

“If I'm being honest, it was Claudia being locked in as coach was what got me over the line. I wasn't too sure during free agency what I was gonna do, I was speaking with a few clubs, but as soon as Claudia got the job, I was pretty quick to make a decision that that's where I wanted to go,” Garbin continued.

“I think it's so exciting. As much as we want to kind of write our own book down there in Tassie as the Jewels, it's so exciting to see what the JackJumpers have done and the success they've had in their first five years in the competition. So I'm really looking forward to getting down there and seeing what we can do.”

Before she settles in Tasmania, Garbin will return to North Queensland for the Townsville Tip Off. Calling the city home for five years, she explained how excited she is to not only return, but play in her first league-wide pre-season tournament for WNBL27.

“Anytime I get to go back there, it's amazing. (I’m) looking forward to some warm weather. But I also just think it's great when we can have all nine WNBL teams in the one area, I think it's gonna be so great," she added.

“It's only gonna be a couple weeks into preseason, so we'll see how everyone's shaping up. I can't wait to get up there and finally start playing some basketball.”

Take advantage of 10% off Early Bird tickets for a limited time and be there for all the action at the Townsville Tip Off from September 17–20.

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