Orange CYMS hockey club celebrates 50 years of family and fun

The green and golds were founded in 1973 and have been a constant on the Orange hockey scene ever since.

Much of their success can be attributed to a focus on juniors according to president Janeen Toner-Wasil.

In fact, it's a commitment to developing said juniors paving the way for a return to the men's Central West Premier League after a long hiatus.

The CYMS Colts third grade side took out the premiership despite being mostly composed of teenagers.

Toner-Wasil said the club wanted a men's team to follow in the footsteps of its successful women's side at the highest level.

"A lot of the Colts team are about 13," she said.

"That's our hope to build those boys up and eventually to get a premier league men's team back in the competition. It's been around 10-15 years since we had a team in men's premier league.

"The women's team had a really strong season and they will be back again next year and we have so many players coming through into that team."

The club marked five decades of hockey by holding a ball at the Hotel Canobolas in August.

Toner-Wasil said it was fantastic to see so many club stalwarts, including legends Paul and Peter Moore, coming together to share some memories.

"Hockey had a hiatus in Orange until 1973 when the men's competition kicked off again so that's why pretty much all the clubs in Orange would be around the 50-year age," she said.

"Commitment to our juniors is what has helped us remain strong over that time. We concentrate really hard on building our juniors rather than just focusing on our senior teams."

Having served as president for 20 years, Toner-Wasil said the sense of family at the club kept her coming back.

"It's like a big family," she said.

"Everybody knows everybody, kids play then grandkids play and so on. The people here are my friends, it's not just about playing sport. Most of the people there have been there for a long time.

"When Paul and Peter decided to retire I just happened to be at the AGM and put my hand up and haven't left since!

"I started playing hockey when I was eight. I played hockey for my school team which was what you did back then. Clubs used to send out coaches to the school teams as there were no junior clubs.

"Val Gregory and June Graham from Canobolas Hockey Club were my coaches. When the CYMS men's club put in their first women's team 28 years ago I was part of one of those third grade sides."

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