Trudie van Leeuwen-Cruthers (Cromwell) was awarded the Ray Byrne Cup for Otago rugby volunteer of the year at the union's prize giving last night, a year after coming second to referee Jim Thomson.
''I was pleasantly surprised. There was obviously some pirates at work there in the background [nominating me],'' she said.
''I was quite humbled. It couldn't be done without the support of a pretty good team I work with. That just makes the job all the easier.''
Van Leeuwen-Cruthers (48) has been involved with the Cromwell Rugby Club for the past 10 years and has been the Central Otago junior advisory board secretary for eight years.
She has been instrumental in co-ordinating the Central Otago primary school competition, which has 102 teams from eight clubs, and includes teams from Rippa rugby to under-13 level.
The number of teams in the region has grown in the past three years under her watch, going from 94 in 2012 to more than 100 this year.
Van Leeuwen-Cruthers was also heavily involved in launching an open grade tournament designed to introduce under-13 players to playoff rugby.
She also provided a key link between the Cromwell club and Cromwell College, helping the school find the resources to field a senior boys' team in the Otago secondary schools under-15 grade and a senior girls' sevens team in the Otago secondary schools competition.
''I had no background in rugby whatsoever when I got into it,'' she said.
''I got into it purely by default. [Playing] numbers were falling, I stepped in knowing nothing, and quite ignorant, and I just got hooked. My natural curiosity wanted to ask questions and see why things weren't getting done.
''I don't think I'm doing a better job than the next person. You just end up with that network and know who to contact.''
Otago prop Aki Seiuli won the David Latta Trophy for most valuable player in a disappointing season for the ITM Cup team.
Lock Tom Franklin and first five-eighth Hayden Parker were named forward and back of the year respectively, and flanker James Lentjes was rookie of the year.
-by Robert Van Royen
