Wangaratta Lifeball Club is inviting all past and present players across the club’s two decades of operation to come down and catch up at a special upcoming anniversary celebration.

The club will be holding a get-together from 1pm on Tuesday, 28 October at WSAC for a small game with Rutherglen Lifeball Club, followed by an afternoon tea at the Barr Reserve Community Centre.

Wangaratta Lifeball Club was created in 2005, initially playing at the YMCA in Ryan Avenue, before council moved the YMCA and all sports played at the facility to the newly extended and renovated Wangaratta Sport and Aquatic Centre.

Lifeball was founded and designed by Colleen Wilson-Lord OAM and Brian Lord in 1999 as a game that can be played by older adults of various fitness levels.

Lifeball is a safe, non-contact sport played at a walking pace and is a game of strategy that requires you to think on your feet and to help increase people’s mental health and flexibility.

It is hoped the sport’s inventors will be able to travel from NSW to attend the club’s 20th anniversary game and afternoon tea event.

Club secretary Rosemary McGuigan said the club struggled initially to field two teams every week, but membership had improved.

“Retaining members can at times be problematic, mostly due to age, ill health or grandparent duties, but the membership remains fairly strong in Wangaratta,” she said.

“Current active members range in ages from 59 to 91, some of whom travel from outside of the Wangaratta city to participate each Tuesday.

“Unlike some other team sports, players do not have to commit to playing each week.

“However, some years have been challenging in fielding two full teams each week during the winter months, when some players take time to escape the cold weather and head north or overseas for a holiday, but this has not been an issue in 2025 with an influx of new members.”

McGuigan said the social aspect of lifeball was a major draw and highlight for players.

“Wangaratta Lifeball remains popular as members focus not just on the activity of playing the game, but it is also a friendship and social group with a coffee get-together after each game,” she said.

“The club enjoys an annual ‘Christmas in July’ lunch, and a further Christmas lunch in December before the game goes into recess for the summer.”

Wangaratta Lifeball meets every Tuesday from 1pm at WSAC, and will host a small get-together at the Barr Reserve Community Centre afterwards on Tuesday, 28 October.

All current and past members are welcome to attend.

For more information, contact Rosemary McGuigan on 0412 749 475.