Martin Power steps down from role with Group 10 Junior Rugby League

He, along with fellow board members Guy Ruddy and Christine Smith recently retired from their roles to enable them to spend time elsewhere.

For Power, that will mean dedicating himself further to the Orange Vipers for which he is club president.

"I want to concentrate on that and make the Vipers strong and so hopefully that continues into the future," he said.

"I would like to see women's tackle footy made stronger around the are. I'd like a big push for that.

"It's strong in the city area but it will take a little while to get it happening here. If we could grow that women's comp that would be a good thing."

Power was on the G10 JRL board for 14 years and spent more than a decade with Orange CYMS before that.

It's with the green and golds where he first found a connection to youth rugby league.

"My young fella Taylor started to play and I said if they needed a hand to let me know," Power said.

"They gave me a kit bag straight away and said 'you're the coach' and that was it. I've been there ever since."

He believes the game is in a good place at the moment, but knows there is always room for improvement.

"We've always had a steady growth of kids that have improved," he said.

"Probably the biggest changes in my time have been the accreditations and the protocols that you've got to do with Country Rugby League and now NSW Rugby League. It's the biggest difference when everyone's got to have that stuff and it puts more of a strain on people at club level.

"In Orange, with the two clubs Bloomfield and CYMS, they're really strong and really big.

"Group 10 generally, everyone's picking up kids along the way and you have a lot of minis and they filter off a bit in the under 15s and 16s which NSW Rugby League is trying to improve that situation."

Asked if there were any memories that stood out during his time on the board, Power had a fair few to choose from.

"Probably when we used to do a tour to New Zealand with the kids and getting the league tag up and running with the juniors, but there was a whole heap of things," he said.

"The majority of the time it's really enjoyable and you make great friends in the role.

"I couldn't do it without the support of my family and my wife. You've got to have that support behind you as we well as the other board members. There's a lot of people involved, it's not just me."

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