31 Dec 2019

New Year Honours: Laura Langman, will she play for Silver Ferns?

9:57 am on 31 December 2019

Silver Ferns midcourter Laura Langman is receiving recognition for her contribution to New Zealand netball but will not confirm if fans have seen the last of her in a black dress.

Laura Langman of the Silver Ferns reacts to a call in the final match of the 2019 Contsellation Cup series in Perth.

Laura Langman Photo: Photosport

The most capped netball player in New Zealand said she was shocked to be made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year honours.

The individual honour did not sit well with Langman who has played representative netball since she was 16-years-old.

"For me I always find it really difficult when it is such a massive team sport to kinda be singled out, so I take it [the ONZM] on behalf of all the teams and players and support staff and family and friends that have been a really massive part of the journey to get to where I am," Langman said.

Langman lead the Silver Ferns to victory at the 2019 Netball World Cup in England in what she called a "magnificent" year.

However, Langman said she is not sure if she will represent her country again.

She is taking a break from international netball and will miss New Zealand's upcoming tour to England but has re-signed with the Sunshine Coast Lightning for the 2020 Super Netball competition in Australia.

Whether she plays for the Silver Ferns again is still to be decided.

"The last few years I feel like I have learnt so much more about myself, I am okay with not knowing what's next, I definitely know I am playing Super Netball this year which I am hugely excited about but after that who knows."

Langman credited fellow New Year honour recipient Silver Ferns coach Dame Noeline Taurua with kick-starting her netball career.

Coach Noeline Taurua has always kept an eye on veteran Laura Langman

Noeline Taurua has always kept an eye on veteran Laura Langman. Photo: PHOTOSPORT www.photosport.co.nz

The coach and midcourt star have combined with domestic sides as well as with the national team.

"She took a gamble on me big time when I was at high school and to have been involved with so many campaigns under her leadership I've learnt so much as a person and as a player, so I pretty much owe a lot to Nols."

Irrespective of her future in international netball, to start the new year Langman will dabble in a different sport.

"I've tried to make an effort the last few years to make sure my life balance is actually life balance and we like to escape to hit the slopes overseas, so I am very much looking forward to hitting the slopes in Canada in late January."

You can see a full list of New Year Honours here: