Claire Maxwell

Scotland's most-capped netballer, who captained the Thistles at the 2018 Commonwealth Games and led the side to their best-ever World Cup finish since 1991.

Claire Maxwell (née Brownie) was born on 10 August 1988 in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, and was coached in her earliest years by her own mother at primary school. She earned a BEd in Physical Education from the University of Edinburgh in 2009, the same year she made her senior debut for Scotland, having already represented the country at under-19, under-21 and university levels including the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships in the Cook Islands. Maxwell went on to represent Scotland at the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2015 and 2019 Netball World Cups, being named captain for both the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2019 World Cup. On 28 July 2023, in a match against Malawi, she became the most-capped player in Scottish netball history, and played her farewell international against Wales in 2023, captaining Scotland to their highest World Cup finish since 1991. Domestically, Maxwell played for Glasgow Wildcats, Team Bath and Strathclyde Sirens in the Netball Superleague, captaining Sirens in their debut Superleague match in 2017, and won the British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship with Loughborough Lightning in 2019. She retired in 2023 with 128 caps for Scotland, and has since worked as a PE teacher while continuing to inspire young players through the Sirens for Success Programme she developed with Netball Scotland.

Resilient, tenacious wing defence and centre renowned for tireless effort and calm captaincy under pressure

Regarded as the ultimate Scottish Thistle, whose resilience and leadership both on and off court helped shape the modern era of Scottish netball

• Scotland's most-capped netballer (128 caps)
• Captained Scotland at 2018 Commonwealth Games and 2019 World Cup
• Scotland's highest-ever World Cup finish since 1991 (as captain)
• British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship 2019 (Loughborough Lightning)