Mark Vergano's library of achievements as a sports administrator is as diverse as it is protracted.
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In rough chronological order, there were his tireless efforts to save the Fairfield Cricket Club, as it was in the 1980s, when a propose Sydney grade cricket restructure threatened to demote them back to the Shires League.
About a decade later there was the unexpected Melbourne grade premiership during his four-year stint as president of the Richmond Cricket Club.
During 14 years as the chief executive officer of Cricket ACT, he oversaw the development of the Meteors who play in the Women's National Cricket League, while played an integral role alongside former chairman Ian McNamee in the installation of lights at Manuka Oval.
Since then he's headed up the Canberra Region Rugby League, which now boasts the fourth-highest participation levels in the state. His commitment to growing the female game in Canberra and surrounds also has led to the Raiders strongly pursuing a future NRL Women's team.
Volunteer stints on various boards including ACT Sport, Netball ACT and the ANU Cricket Club among others have underpinned his professional endeavours.
Yet speak to Vergano about the awarding of his thoroughly deserved Order of Australia Medal, and it's clear his proudest achievement is family.
That being wife Michaela, and six children - Aidan, Rowan, Rheannan, Tristan, Declan and Llandan - all of who are now pursuing their own varied sporting interests.
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"My wife Michaela's just been enormous - without her I'd be cactus," Vergano said.
"Giving me the support to go out and do these things, backing in your judgement and just the teamwork, raising six kids together. It influences what you do and how you go about it.
"It keeps you grounded, but it also keeps you involved on the periphery to understand what's happening in those areas, they've all played sport in different guises and done different things."
This year brings up a half century of involvement in sport for Vergano, since he began playing cricket as a 10-year-old. But his toughest challenge may yet be before him as he helps Canberra rugby league plot a safe path through the Covid pandemic.
"We're a contact sport in what started out as a pandemic that was basically non-contact," Vergano said.
"The parents and the kids and participants, they've kept coming back, it just shows how much sport is integral to the fabric of our society and how important it is.
"The challenges have been great because you're having to be so flexible just following all the changing conditions and the health directives that come out. It's really tough on the clubs, tough on the volunteers. . .they're administrators too and hopefully we can guide them through it, there's a lot of good people out there."
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
