By Ron Lane
If you look into the background of well-established country sporting clubs, you will always find that there are one or two names that really stand out.
Such is the case in Tewantin. When you look closely into the world of ladies’ netball and talk to people, a name that comes to the forefront is that of Lola McDonald.
Born in Gympie in 1940, the then Lola Hooper shifted to Tewantin with her family and started her education at the Tewantin State School.
It was during this time that at the age of 12 years, she was introduced into the world of basketball.
“Ah yes,” she said, “In those days it wasn’t called netball, then it was known as basketball; in fact it wasn’t until the mid-’70s that the name changed to netball.”
However this young lady was immediately captivated, embarking on what was to become a lifelong love of the sport.
“I started at 12 in 1952 and now in 2017 I am still involved – not as much mind you, but helping where I can. In the beginning our team was known as Tewantin Basketball and we played against teams from Pomona and Cooroy, all school teams – they were great days, lots of fun and we loved it.”
In those days education opportunities were somewhat restricted, so Lola was enrolled as a boarder at the State Commercial High School in Brisbane. After some time she returned home to finish her education at Nambour State High; but again because of travel problems she was once more a high school boarder. During her college years her love of basketball never wavered, it just got stronger.
“I left high school in ’56 at the age of 16 and got a job working in Brisbane in a branch of the CSIRO. However two years later I returned home and commenced working in the office of the Royal Mail Hotel. I also took a second job working as an usherette at the Mayfield Theatre, which was straight across the road from the Mail.
While working at the Mail, Mr Geoff Gall the publican decided to extend by building a beer garden on the side of the hotel. It was then that I met a plumber named Keith McDonald.”
A romance started and then in late ’59 Lola Hooper became Mrs Lola McDonald.
They were happy years for the McDonalds, a family of three boys and two girls, strongly united until Keith’s untimely death in 2014.
Also the basketball had really started to take off and a representative team known as Tewantin Basketball was formed. “The teams were seven a side and my first rep game was in Ipswich. There was a lot of travel involved and we would all cram into buses or family cars. Down through the years we also travelled to Gympie, playing at Albert Park every Wednesday night and it was freezing cold.”
It was during the mid-’70s that the name was officially changed to netball. An official committee had been formed and the game was gaining momentum; then in the 1980s the Noosa Shire Council allocated a large area of land on McKinnon Drive.
Until that time the game was being played at several venues such as Reid Park, the leisure centre and the Lutheran College; with some games being played at night. Juniors were catered for with Saturday morning competition.
“Our game had really taken hold among the ladies.”
A team to represent the district was formed and played in the State League; proudly on several occasions Lola was chosen. With the game spreading throughout the state, much travel was involved with the local rep team going to such places as Brisbane, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Toowoomba, and even as far away as Ingham and Rockhampton.
“On one occasion we even teamed up with Coolum Netball Association and charted a plane for our trip to Townsville,” Lola said.
Whenever major netball tournaments were held the opening ceremony was a grand march past of all teams. This was also part of the competition. “Because we had formed a team we approached the Noosa Heads Surf Club for a coach and an instructor named Ray O’Connor, affectional known as Ocker, stepped forward. He was the same instructor,” she informed me with a laugh, “who years before had trained a blond kid named Ron Lane for his bronze medallion in the Noosa Club.”
Without realising it, this was to be the start of Lola’s involvement with yet another local sporting organisation; the Noosa Nippers.
“In the 1960s a group of people were talking about forming this, so my husband and I joined to help. People such as George Salter, Ron Gower, Denise Thatcher, Des Hempsall, Bob Kneale and the Birrell brothers, Bob and Norm just to name a few, were among the starters. At that time they had no name, so because the senior club emblem was the Seahorse they became known as the Seacolts; then when the organisation was consolidated in Queensland, it became known throughout as the Nippers.”
Then in 1973 at age 33, Lola retired from competition. However her dedication never faulted, she coached, spent four years as president and on stepping down, spent some 17 years working for the club as a foodie.
“It was our job to organise the catering – thus the name foodie; a lot of work but it was fun.” Now her office is that of patron.
However for this dedicated lady, netball and the nippers haven’t been her only contribution to the community. She has somehow found time to be also involved in the Lady Lions, and spent some 25 years as secretary of the Rural Fire Brigade.
This, plus raising a family of five and helping her husband run a plumbing business, meant that life for Lola McDonald was definitely full-on.
When asked about her fondest memories, she rates having her children first. Then in netball having three of their senior girls, Karen Clark, Kiera Tromp and Emma Tickner represent Queensland and play host to the visiting English Under 16 netball team.
But above all – watching the club grow to its present state of 40 junior teams and 28 senior sides.
Her one big discontent is the lack of support shown during the early years by the press.
“They just didn’t want to know, it was a sport played by girls. But now the success of the Queensland Firebirds is starting to change all this. However there is still a way to go; and we won’t give up.
Over the years we have had some really outstanding people, great ladies such as Chris Strid, Fran Sidler, Deb Johns, Silver Covey and Daphney Bickley; ladies who now proudly wear the medal of Life Member. I am sure they will agree with me when I say there are many more.”
