Layla Guscoth named as Vitality Player of the Season and joined in Superleague All-Star VII by fellow Blue & Gold defender Phumza Maweni
Team Bath Netball star defender Layla Guscoth has been named as Vitality Player of the Season in the 2022 Vitality Superleague Awards.
The England Roses player was also shortlisted for the Players’ Player of the Season award and named in the Superleague’s All-Star VII alongside Blue & Gold defensive partner Phumza Maweni, the duo being selected as goal-defence and goal-keeper respectively.
It is the second time that Guscoth has won the prestigious Vitality Player of the Season honour, having previously been recognised as the league’s standout player while with Saracens Mavericks in 2014.
Only London Pulse had a better defensive record than the Blue & Gold during the regular season and Team Bath Netball Superleague Head Coach Anna Stembridge was not surprised to see Guscoth and South African international Maweni in the All-Star VII.
“Phumi and Layla have been sensational this season,” said Stembridge. “We are lucky to have them in our circle but what’s great about both is they will always acknowledge the defensive work done by their team-mates in front of them.
“Layla, for me, is the best defender in the world at the moment. She will dispute that because she always wants to be better than she was yesterday and has a real desire to be the best she can be. What we have seen of Layla over the past couple of seasons is her ability to win ball when it matters, and her ability to win ball across all four quarters.
“When we were looking at recruitment and thinking about how to get the best out of Layla, particularly in a season running up to the Commonwealth Games, it was really important that we got the right keeper and we struck gold with Phumi. She’s a great person, incredible athlete and, again, a reflective individual who always wants to improve.”
Joining Guscoth on the shortlist for the Vitality Player of the Season Award was Pulse defender Funmi Fadoju and Manchester Thunder duo Eleanor Cardwell and Natalie Metcalf.
Cardwell pipped Guscoth to the Players’ Player of the Season Award, as well as Thunder team-mate Laura Malcolm and Leeds Rhinos’ Brie Grierson.
Guscoth and her fellow award winners will receive their prize following Sunday’s Grand Final at the Copper Box Arena. Before then, Team Bath are in Superleague semi-final action at Manchester Thunder on Friday (6.30pm centre-pass) – click here for more information.
