Courtney Bruce will continue as West Coast Fever Captain for the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball season supported by mid-court star Jess Anstiss as Vice Captain.
Bruce became the longest-serving captain in club history last season and will extend that record in 2022, when she is also due to celebrate her 100th national league game.
Anstiss, who was a member of the club’s leadership group in 2019, has played 77 games since winning the team MVP Award in her inaugural season in 2017. She becomes Vice Captain for the first time in 2022.
Coach Dan Ryan congratulated both players on being selected by their teammates and coaches to lead the team in 2022.
“Courtney and Jess are so passionate about this team and club and have been really influential figures in the Fever environment in recent years,” he said.
“These appointments reflect the respect they have from the playing group and full-time high performance staff and there’s a great level of confidence in all of us that Courtney and Jess are the right people to be leading us in 2022.
“They have very different styles individually which is really important. They both have very different strengths but they also complement each other’s growth areas which makes them a well-balanced duo and that’s what the team needs.
“Courtney has been on a leadership journey in recent years and has really grown in this space, so I’m really looking forward to seeing her further evolve and to be able to support and help her reach her potential as a Captain.
“I’m really excited for Jess, this is a great opportunity for her to take the next step in her leadership development and the time is right for her to do so. She’s very measured and consistent and certainly has the support of the team behind her, so I think we will see great progress from Jess as she embraces her new role.”
Bruce said she was excited to be able to lead the club again.
“It is always such an honour to have the privilege to lead the girls and the Fever green. We have such a great bunch of girls and I am excited to stand with them this season and hopefully create something amazing,” she said.
“I’m excited to have Jess by my side and work with her. Jess has really taken a step up in her leadership and I think we will complement and balance each other really well. I’m very excited to see what Jess can do in this space.
“I’m also excited to kick the season off and get stuck into it and see how we work as a duo and how we can combine with Dan as a trio to achieve great things this year.”
Anstiss said she was excited to receive the honour of Vice Captain and looking forward to the season ahead.
“I’m super stoked and excited to be named Vice Captain alongside Courto as Captain,” she said.
“Leadership is something I’ve been working on in the background since having a small snippet of it in 2019 and so be to be voted in by the girls is such a great honour.
“I’m just looking forward to working with Courts and the girls and getting to play games in front of the Green Army this season!”
Tickets are available for all West Coast Fever home games at RAC Arena via Ticketek, with prices starting from only $27* (*Additional Ticketek service and handling fee per transaction applies).
