Courtesy of Trudi Young
And so it unfolds, the story of the beginning of our club as recounted by past presidents, players and life members of the club...
Sport in Albany Creek began when Terry Smith, a local himself, founded the Albany Creek Excelsior (ACE) sports club in 1963. Under this banner the Football Club and Netball Club were formed.
Netball in Albany Creek started with mothers who had a passion for the game and organised teams and training on the grassed courts at Wolter Park, Jacaranda Drive. These ladies then organised the club to become an affiliated member with the Downey park Netball Association, Windsor. As Downey Park was a considerable distance from Albany Creek and there was no public transport in the area, most players would meet for the Saturday morning fixtures at the Albany Creek State School where Ros McKechnie, a parent, would drive the players to Downey Park in a small bus. By 1969 ACE Netball had seven teams. Many a time, ACE teams would come home with "best dressed" or "best march past" acknowledgements.
By 1977 a name change and a a constitution was ordered under the name Albany Creek Excelsior (ACE) Netball Club incorporation. Our first president, Heather Mole and her entourage of willing helpers organised "home" game carnivals with many other clubs from around the district. "Round Robin" games were organised for all ages with up to 32 teams competing. These events were excellent for the local area and more importantly fostered the physical well-being of the youth of Albany Creek.
As there was not a clubhouse in those early days, monthly meetings were generally held at members' houses or sometimes they were held in the car on the way to training. Our "canteen" was the boot of Keith Wruck's car. Through fundraising efforts, ACE Netball was lucky enough to be able to purchase a caravan from the soccer club and local man Keith Wruck converted it to be used as our very own canteen/Kiosk. Further fundraising evenings were held as Mahaca Park near Albany Creek to gain funding to purchase lighting towers for the courts at Wolter Park.
Due to ACE's increasing number of members over the years, and with Pine Rivers Netball Association (PRNA) in close proximity to our netball members, in 1981, our then president Ros McKechnie saw the need to make the move to PRNA and affiliated ACE Netball Club. We have certainly grown into a larger and stronger recognised club today at PRNA with 380 members and 43 Teams (2012). Our participation at Brisbane Netball Association (BNA) based at Chermside continues with strong competition comprising five teams totalling 41 members. The combined 2012 ACE Club membership stands at 421 equalling 48 teams.
In 2007 teams started training at the new courts at South Pine Sports Complex at Brendale. Moreton Bay Regional Council wanted the club to migrate to these grounds as they had started a master plan for the complex and envisaged a huge injection of different types of clubs and sports for these grounds.
In 2011 Moreton Bay Regional Council fully funded the much needed development of the ACE Netball Clubhouse and it was completed in February 2012. This houses an equipment shed, kitchen, meeting room, toilets/showers and change rooms. This agreed funding will also see the club grounds with a car park commencing in 2013.
In 2019, a long held desire to have a rebound wall was realised through a grant from the state government and many hours of volunteers fundraising.