A passion for sport, a strong body and some solid life lessons from her father have powered Dot Lacey through the years.
Born at Aramac on May 13, 1930, Dot has a keen interest in people and places and a zest for living that belies her 80 years.
“My father had the biggest influence on my life,” she said. “He taught us to be honest; that you only get what you give and that you always do your best.
“We didn’t have anything as kids as far as monetary things go but it taught us the value of life.”
Tom Keenan was working as a drover on a property near Aramac with his wife Mona when Dot was born.
The family moved to Rockhampton to live with Mona’s parents while Dot was still a baby, before taking up the half share of a dairy and small crops farm in Woolooga in 1932.
As the oldest of five, Dot had to grow up quickly.
“I was cooking and doing things for mum very early,” she said. “I learned to ride before I went to school and I was making scones when I was only nine years old.”
As a youngster, Dot was her father’s shadow.
“Until I went to school I was always one step behind him,” she said. “On my first day of school I asked him if I had to take my billy to boil up.
“I milked and helped out when the cattle had to be driven across to another property to dip – that was the best day.”
Dot went to Woolooga School, with a total enrolment of only 30 pupils.
“I loved school and sport,” she said. “Dad encouraged us to play sport and I played rounders and tennis. I could also run quite well.”
Outside school, life was measured by hard work.
“Mum and Dad never had any money and I can’t remember when it wasn’t a drought,” she said. “I was always fairly tall for my age with a strong build and Dad relied on me a lot.”
Debt forced the family from the farm in 1941 and Dot’s father took a job at the Butter Factory in Gympie. And with the new town came a new high school.
“The first week was absolutely awesome,” she said. “My new class was the size of my whole school – and then they found out I could run.”
Dot excelled at any long distance race and took turns with another student coming first and second. She was also a champ at long and broad jump.
“I started to play netball and represented the school for the Wide Bay District,” she said. “I held the goal shooting record for about three years.”
At age 14, Dot started playing hockey and represented Gympie for six years.
“I made the Queensland Possibles v Probables team for three years in a row. I played tennis to keep fit for hockey the next season.”
Studies posed no problem for Dot either.
“I did the full academic course at school with the idea of becoming a teacher.”
However homework often took a backseat with Dot needed to help with chores and children while her mother was ill during her final pregnancy.
At this time she decided to leave school.
“Mum and Dad couldn’t afford to send me away and Mum couldn’t afford for me not to be at home to help,” she said. “But I don’t regret leaving. I think in the end it has given me a better overall education.”
Dot took a job as cashier in the office of Penneys (later Coles).
“I did a night course in typing and book keeping and 12 months later the head girl asked me if I’d like to be a clerk.”
After 12 months Dot left to work as a clerk of a radio and electrical shop, where she stayed until she married in September 1950.
“I met my husband Ray Lacey through my father playing tennis,” she said. “We went together for five years before we were married.”
Ray worked for the railway in Gympie and was transferred to Kilkivan in 1949, just before the pair married.
Their first daughter Cheryl was born in 1951 and Glenda followed a few years later.
By then Ray had been posted to Longreach.
Tragedy struck and Dot got news that her 17-year-old brother Bernard had been killed in a swimming accident.
“He was an apprentice printer and he played A grade football,” she said. “He had his whole life ahead of him and it left a big gap in our lives.”
Ray and Dot eventually returned to Kilkivan. But in 1961 tragedy struck again with the stillbirth of their full-term baby girl, a result of Dot’s Rh- blood.
“That was a really bad year,” she said.
In 1962 after pressure from coaches in Gympie, Dot agreed to play reserve grade hockey and followed up with a year in A grade. She also played in the rep side against Maryborough and Bundaberg. During this time she coached netball and took up squash.
In 1966, with another baby on the way, Dot’s friends told her about inter-uterine transfusions, to counter the Rh factor.
After a three month stay in Brisbane Women’s Hospital, Dot gave birth to her only son Gary in July 1967.
“He was born by caesarean at 29 weeks and he had to stay in the hospital for six weeks,” she said. “I got him home and had to feed him every two hours, morning and night, and he’s never stopped eating since.”
In 1968 Ray was transferred to Gladstone.
“The place was very rugged,” Dot said. “People don’t realise how much this town has improved.”
Dot resumed squash and became a life member of the Gladstonettes. Then a chance meeting with Nela McArdle put her back on the hockey field.
“I joined Sparks Hockey Club in 1969 and played A grade that first season.
“In 1971 I took my first Gladstone Hockey Association rep side away to Townsville for the Queensland championships,” she said. “It was a team of primary school aged girls.”
Dot continued coaching rep sides for 14 years.
“Then in 1971 my life changed forever,” she said. “That was when Ann Penny, Gladys O’Brien and myself got together to form a new hockey club.
“It was supported by quite a few enthusiastic people and we decided to form the Meteors Hockey Club.”
Dot said the group asked for expressions of interest in forming the club and they held quite a few meetings.
“At the end of November 1971 it was put in as a hockey club and we started with a team for the next hockey association fixtures in 1972,” she said. “It was an all women’s club.
“Most of the girls were under 14s and I was the player coach. And we played in A grade.
“By the end of the year the team was starting to get some recognition and from then on the Meteors A grade women’s team was a team to be reckoned with.”
Dot said the men joined in 1973 and Meteors has flourished ever since.
“It still remains the biggest club in town,” she said. “And I think that’s because of the emphasis we’ve always put on the juniors.
“We take a lot of care of the young ones coming through.”
From the establishment of a hockey club, Meteors grew to become a sports club in 1978 fielding teams for baseball, softball, soccer, cricket and rugby union.
Starting with a small kiosk and sports grounds in 1975, Meteors now boasts a modern clubhouse, thanks to the early cent sales, bingo nights and catering for functions.
“I’ve been doing the cooking for functions for the last 12 years,” Dot said.
Dot is a life member of the Gladstone Hockey Association, Meteors Hockey Club and Sports Club. She has been treasurer at Meteors since 1991 and secretary for many years when needed. She also received an Australia Day award for her sporting involvement in 1985.
“My joy of sport has never declined,” she said. “It’s exhilarating and it’s made me very determined.
“When children are playing sport, any sport, it’s good for them.”
And with seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren to her credit, the future of sport in the Lacey family looks pretty secure.