Keryn Phillips looks back on time with Orange Emus junior club

But now, as the former president is about to call time on her career with the junior Emus organisation, she has more friends than she can count.

"I came here on my own with the two boys and I didn't know anybody. Even at rugby I didn't get to speak to many people because I didn't know them and they didn't know me," she said.

"Now I have a list of people. If anybody needs to know anybody in the rugby community, they ring me for their phone number."

It was in 2012 when her two sons, Jack and Bailey Holland, first joined the club.

"I actually rang Emus as well as Orange City and Emus were the ones who rang me back so that's where we went," she said.

It didn't take long for Ms Phillips to throw her hat in the ring and get involved as well.

"In the second year at the club, I put my hand up to be the registrar for all of juniors, back when it was still all done on paper," she said.

"At one point I had a child in wallas and a child in juniors which meant they were training Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and playing Saturday and Sunday, so I figured since I was going to be here all the time anyway, I'd be junior president."

For the next eight years, Ms Phillips would hold that role.

"In 2020, both my kids got into grand finals, they both won, Emus won the club championship and I should have retired that year. That was the peak of it all and my best day ever," she said with a smile.

"My kids did get dragged around to board meetings from the time they were little. They'd have their dinner and their homework sitting in the corner while we were having a meeting.

"I think the impact it has on your kids, that they're knowing you're not just their taxi service, that you're actually interested in what they're doing, it makes a big difference."

When she first started at the club, there were about 100 juniors registered. Now, that number sits closer to 250.

But with one son already in Colts and the other in the under 16s, 2022 will be the last year that Ms Phillips will be involved in the junior setup.

"It's a little bit sad, but I feel like I've walked away with 200 of my own kids," she added.

"It's the kids that I was always worried about getting them on the field, the kids that I wanted to play rugby and who I wanted to enjoy it. Every time I ever fought for something at the club, it was always for the kids."

But just because she will no longer be a staple around the juniors, doesn't mean she won't be a known quantity around senior setup.

"Part of me is really excited to be moving to the next stage," she said.

"To be moving to the next stage where you're dealing with players and not parents is an exciting new challenge."

As for the legacy she is leaving behind, she just hopes that others step in to fill her shoes.

"It's actually really enjoyable. It's really nice to meet the people and just make a place in your club," she said when.

"It's a really good support network. When I moved house I didn't have to hire a removalist because one of the senior boys who had a truck turned up with four other senior players to move my stuff. The people are good people and it's worth putting your hand up."