At 90 years young, Ralph still aces life
AT 90, Ralph Geddes is living proof of the benefit of exercise.
The retired teacher plays tennis twice a week and bridge twice a week.
“One’s for the brain and one’s for the legs. I’ve always liked sport,” he said.
“When I finished junior (Year 10) my father gave me three choices, go on with school, get an apprenticeship or a job.
“I loved playing sport at school so I went on to do senior, so sport kept me in school.”
Completing senior was to help with his future career as a school teacher.
After school, he helped his father with a bus run in Toowoomba for seven years before going to teachers college.
“You had to have finished senior and they were so desperate for teachers the course only took 12 months,” he said.
“I was only going to teach for seven years but I ended up doing 34 years.”
Mr Geddes spent 13 years at East State School in Toowoomba, then seven years at Harristown before 10 years in Oakey after which he retired at 65.
Having played grade cricket and hockey in his younger years, Mr Geddes initially played badminton after retirement to keep active before swapping to tennis.
He has been playing with the Has Beens Tennis Club at Holy Name Tennis Courts for more than 20 years.
“I reckon you’ve got to keep moving around,” he said. “It’s social and if you have a win it’s a bonus.
“I’ve got a dozen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren who keep me busy as well.”
Mr Geddes puts his longevity down to exercise and an upbringing on vegetables.
“I keep away from junk food,” he said. “My father was a Scot so we had rolled oats every day.
“I still have rolled oats seven days a week.”