"It was just in case I can't play my beloved hockey," the 82-year-old explains.

Turns out she's fairly handy at lawns bowls and represents in pennants but Mrs Pringle still prefers smashing the ball with a stick than gently rolling it over lawn.

A player and administrator with Canobolas Hockey Club for longer than she cares to remember, (estimates are she has notched up over 600 games) Mrs Pringle is usually toasting her retirement from the sport in September before getting to know new teammates in March!

I played my first game of hockey in 1953 at Orange Rural School. In 1955 I was asked by a friend if I would like to play on Saturdays with Marathons on fields at Bloomfield hospital.

At 35 years of age you could be considered for veterans hockey - I was the only person keen enough to be still playing at that age, husband and kids in tow.

In later years it was changed to Masters and there were more players staying on - Country Week became popular, in the early 60s I played goalie for Orange women's open team - although finals were usually Newcastle v Shoalhaven but it was a great week of hockey in Sydney.

Orange has proven a worthy opponent for many years now winning various grand finals since the introduction of age group competitions.

Vets hockey also offers players a chance to represent at a higher level in their age groups. At 64 I was picked as a shadow for NSW and played for South Australia at National Masters Championships. The following year I played for NSW at the Nationals Veterans Championships in Perth.

I believe if you belong to a team, club or organisation you get in and do your bit, without administrators, umpires, presidents and secretaries it all falls over.

Many changes have occurred over my past 65+ years, the ball out over the side line used to be a penalty 'rolled' in by hand, no offside, sticks used to be allowed to be raised no higher than the waist! Grass fields became artificial turn, a faster, different game completely.

In May, 1970 I badly ruptured my Achilles tendon and was advised by my surgeon I would not be able to play active sport anymore! I was back playing tennis that September, no such word as can't!

As my team mates and family will verify, every year for about the last 10 I have retired at the end of a season - only to be there the next. It is in my blood and I will be very sad not to be on the field, age is only a number!

It was an honour to receive the Gretchen Gamble trophy (as the eldest player at the Masters Championships) held in Wagga Wagga two weeks ago. One player from Goulburn asked if I was going to play next year, she is 81 and would like that trophy.

There are many players in their late 60s and 70s, enjoying the opportunity to play their own age groups. My team (with five players over 70) played in the eldest section, over 60s, going through undefeated to lose 2-0 to Goulburn in the grand final, a sterling effort.