Ronnie Vance has played basketball for more than 60 years, and even now – at 77 years old – she shows no signs of stopping. Not even broken bones can keep the grandmother away from the sport she loves.
Ronnie picked up a basketball for the first time at 16. She was a model milliner at the Auckland department store Smith and Caughey’s and had become weary of sitting down all day.
On her way home one evening she stopped by the YMCA looking for a sport to do and quickly discovered what would become a lifelong passion for basketball.
Being a working mother of three didn’t leave Ronnie much spare time but at night she would head down to the courts.
“It was the enjoyment and all the friendships and camaraderie with the girls. It was wonderful. I was still working full-time, even with three little children, but I needed that at night.”
“I need to get out and exercise. I get grumpy if I don’t,” she says.
Even now the social aspect of the game is still one of the things she loves the most, hitting the courts with women she has known for over 40 years. Ronnie still makes the trip down from Orewa every Monday to the North Shore YMCA where her squad play for up to an hour and a half. Women of all ages turn up to play but Ronnie admits she’s the oldest by almost 20 years.
“They keep complaining that they have got to keep playing because I’m still playing,” she laughs.
She hasn’t suffered many injuries, but at 60 broke her leg on the courts. Her sister and son both thought it was sign, telling her it was about time she gave up.
“I’m lying there thinking ‘how dare you tell me it’s about time I gave up’ so I made my mind up I was definitely going back,” she laughs.
Within 10 weeks, Ronnie was back on the court running around and shooting baskets – proving once again that nothing could hold her back.
Ronnie’s advice for other women looking to stay active is to just get out there and do something, whatever it may be.
“You can’t just sit down and read books and watch television, you grow too old too quick,” she says.
And there is definitely no slowing down for Ronnie.
“I’d like to be able to just keep going; another three years until I was 80 would be wonderful… much to the family’s disgust probably.”
To read about other inspirational Kiwi women who are active in their twilight years pick up your latest copy of The Australian Women’s Weekly, out now.
