New Zealander · Auckland, New Zealand · Born 13 February 1992New Zealand defender and midcourter who won the 2019 Netball World Cup with the Silver Ferns after returning from injury and motherhood.
Kayla Johnson (née Cullen) was born on 13 February 1992 in Auckland, New Zealand, and was a multi-sport talent as a schoolgirl at Auckland Girls' Grammar, playing representative netball and basketball and competing nationally in athletics before committing to netball. She came through New Zealand's underage pathway with the Secondary Schools and Under-21 sides before making her senior Silver Ferns debut in 2011. A versatile defender and midcourter equally comfortable at goal defence, wing defence or centre, Johnson played the bulk of her domestic career with the Northern Mystics before moving to the Northern Stars, with a season at Australia's NSW Swifts in 2019. She was part of the Silver Ferns squad that ended New Zealand's 16-year wait for a Netball World Cup title in 2019, having returned to the international fold after time away from the game following injury and the birth of her first child. She also won the 2017 ANZ Premiership title with the Northern Mystics.
Athletic Silver Fern defender and 2019 World Cup champion
Career Honours
- 2019 Netball World Cup gold
- ANZ Premiership title 2017
New Zealander Athletes