Fleur Vardanega's love of rugby league started in black and white but it's now very much awash with green and gold.
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Vardanega's first memories of the sport date back to the old 3pm games on the ABC on a Saturday, which she watched on a black and white television screen.
Now, decades later, that love has resulted in her being named a life member of the Orange CYMS Rugby League Club.
![Fleur Vardanega with her son Kiel Vardanega and granddaughter Izzy Hall. Picture by Carla Freedman. Fleur Vardanega with her son Kiel Vardanega and granddaughter Izzy Hall. Picture by Carla Freedman.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/GHcbaSNijNeVS4SULWDX8n/75a02d06-141a-426d-8374-a7f68e6688d5.JPG/r0_514_8256_5174_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
At the CYMS season launch Vardanega was unveiled as the 26th life member of the rugby league club and joins and illustrious list, names like Mick Sullivan, John Powell, Tom Cummins and Bill Kelly, to name a few.
However, Vardanega's name stands alone as the only female to earn the honour in over 75 years of CYMS history.
In many ways, it's a fitting nod for a woman who has blazed a trail in the game.
Back in those days while watching her beloved Rabbitohs on a Saturday, she dreamed of playing the game. But "there was no way girls could play".
Now also part of the Vipers rugby league club, which caters for young girls and women looking for opportunities to play the sport, Vardanega continues to lend a hand where she can to help encourage participation and grow the game in Orange.
But it's certainly her association with CYMS, which dates back to the late 1990s, that Vardanega is most well known for.
"I look around and think 'how can I help out?'," she said.
"I've loved the game since I was a kid."
Vardanega says she's "almost embarrassed" to have been named a CYMS life member.
Those in the know, though, will tell you no one is more deserving of the honour.
A scroll through one of the posts on the club's social media highlights the impact Vardanega has on the club she loves.
Ray Trudgett, Mick Sullivan, icons of the club. To be even recognised alongside those people is an enormous honour.
- Fleur Vardanega
"This honour could not go to a more deserving person," former CYMS president Ray Agland posted.
"Congrats Fleur. Always given above and beyond for CYMS," five-time premiership-winning captain-coach Mick Sullivan added.
Current Jillaroos coach and former CYMS mentor Brad Donald added his congratulations to the choir of praise while Col Barnes lauded Vardanega's passion for the club: "Thanks Fleur for your unselfish efforts and time over the years."
"It's an incredible honour," Vardanega added, the first life member at CYMS since both Sullivan and Bernie Thornhill were inducted in 2018.
"And you look at the names of life members; Mick Downey has been there forever, and done so much. Bill Kelly is another. Ray Trudgett, Mick Sullivan, icons of the club. To be even recognised alongside those people is an enormous honour.
"I've never looked for the recognition, I just do it because I love it. But this is a great feeling, there was a message on Facebook and I said then I felt loved and appreciated, and a really do."
Vardanega first started out with St Joseph's Sheahan when her son Kiel kicked off his junior footy career with CYMS' feeder club in 1998.
She worked alongside the SJS committee until Kiel finished up his time in the juniors and progressed into seniors with CYMS in 2004. That year, Vardanega says she "sat back and enjoyed the footy".
Since 2005 though, she's been a member of the CYMS committee - and she's still enjoyed her footy.
"When I started officially as the assistant treasurer, they didn't really do too much. And I did that for couple of years," she laughed.
"But come 2007 I was secretary and I've been on board ever since."
She's been CYMS' treasurer for about the last decade.
"I am really surprised to have been honoured like this," she continued.
"I've got a long suffering family. My daughter, Megan, was dragged to footy games ... much to her disgust. And there's been family occasions and I've had to miss because I was off to the footy.
"My family has sacrificed lots, so I can't thank them enough."
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