DURING the deliverance of the eulogy for Royce Dickson in Shepparton earlier this month there was a light-hearted moment when it was mentioned that for most of his footballing career he never handballed.
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This, of course, was simply because he couldn’t.
A handballing action requires two arms and Royce had lost his left arm in a work accident — a wool press — in Geelong in his late teens when trying to make Geelong’s VFL (now AFL) list.
Most young footballers, particularly those with genuine ambitions of playing at the elite level would be shattered by such a massive setback. Not only in their approach to continuing playing the game but facing up to life in general.
No, not Royce Dickson. No sir.
A fierce inner desire to make full use of what he had was his motivation and approach to adapting to life with only one arm.
In Royce’s case it was his left arm that was mangled in that workplace mishap. This added even more challenges for his recovery because his left hand and his left foot were his preferred limbs when it came to playing sport.
But in typical determined style Royce met all challenges he faced head-on.
While his disability never allowed him the chance to play at the highest level in football — unlike his brothers “Delicate’’ Des Dickson who played for Hawthorn and Noel who played for Footscray — Royce was still able to forge a distinguished country career.
One of the highlights of his career was winning a Horsham and District League medal.
Born and raised in Sea Lake in Victoria’s northwest, Royce had demonstrated his footballing talents to Sunraysia League fans as a 16-year-old when he starred in a grand final for Red Cliffs.
Later his profession as a schoolteacher allowed football fans around country Victoria to see what a remarkable player and person he was under the circumstances.
Northern Victorian footy followers got to hear about and see this remarkable one-armed footballer when he played several seasons with Stanhope Football Club, then playing in the Heathcote Football League in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Kyabramites got to know Royce well and follow his footballing career because he made many friends while a resident in Kyabram and a teacher at Kyabram’s Haslem St Primary School.
His teaching career also saw him spend time at Tumbalup, Wonwondah North, Warperella, Byrneside and Balmoral.
Apart from football Royce was also able to play tennis and golf better than the average player in these sports.
At the age of 55 he retired from the Education Department and developed a love for landcare and the environment in the Shepparton and Mooroopna Landcare Group, creating an employment program in environment work for the young.
His backyard veggie patch was also legendary around Shepparton, where he spent the last 30 years of his life in Dunlop St.
Royce passed away at the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre on April 6 at the age of 82.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Maureen, a former Benalla girl, four children — Russell, Dale, Chris and Louise — and nine grandchildren.
Eight make GVL squad
KYABRAM has eight players — the most of any club — in the initial 36-player GVL squad from which the side to take on the Western Region Football League in this year’s Worksafe Community Championships on May 18 will be selected.
Bombers named in the squad are Lachie Smith, Kyle Mueller, Mick Mattingly, Patrick Wearden, Jordan Williams, Brad Mangan, Luke Morris and Tom Holman.
New GVL coach Brad Campbell and his assistants have been watching practice matches and GVL games to select the squad.
Campbell has been able to enlist the support of some very experienced GVL people as his assistant coaches this year including Kyabram co-coach Paul Newman, Paul Kirby and Tim Looby. They will join assistant coaches from recent campaigns in Brendan Vanderdonk and Sam Little.
Fifteen players who played in last year’s winning team against the Ballarat League are in the squad.
The GVL’s Under 18 championships squad will be announced in the coming weeks.
The initial squad of 36 is: Kyabram: Lachie Smith, Kyle Mueller, Mick Mattingly, Patrick Wearden, Jordan Williams, Brad Mangan, Luke Morris, Tom Holman. Rochester: James Gledhill, Nathan Marrone. Tatura: Jamason Daniels, Brad Ryan, Nick Fothergill, Matt Shannon, Brandyn Grenfell, Matt Ryan. Shepparton: Harry Boyd, Ted Lindon, Mitch Brett, Anthony Andronaco. Mooroopna: Kyle Gray. Shepparton United: Matt Rendina. Benalla: David Mennen, Will Martinello, Nick Warnock, Brodie Webster. Shepparton Swans: Tom Preece. Echuca: Andrew Walker, Cam Valentine, Angus Byrne, Dan Willis. Euroa: JD Hayes. Seymour: Jason Cole. Mansfield: Brett Mahoney, Patrick Marks, James Lawton.
Duo to share Kyabram League coaching duties
FORMER Murchison-Toolamba coach James Milne and Avenel coach Kasey Duncan will coach the Kyabram League side in its clash with the Golden Rivers League in the Community round on Saturday, May 18.
The football and netball games will be played at Central Park Reserve, Shepparton East Football Netball Club.
Craig Thompson and Peter Miller will coach the KDL’s Under 18 footballers.
Jen Smith will head up the coaching panel for the open netballers and Sherryn Wall will be in charge of the 17 and Under netball girls. Olivia Curtis from Tallygaroopna and Lancaster’s Zoe Backway will coach the 15 and Under netballers while the 13 and Unders will be coached by Lancaster duo Sandy Carver and Elly Westerveld.