NSW Women’s Player of the Year, Daily Telegraph Best Performance in 2016 People’s Choice Award, a NSW State of Origin title and now the most prestigious prize for women’s rugby league in Australia, a Dally M. There is no doubting 25-year-old Kezie Apps’ dedication and will to succeed.
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Let’s add to Kezie’s list of achievements by awarding her the Bega Valley Shire Young Citizen of the Year.
Kezie first decided to give rugby league at crack in the back yard against her two brothers, and at just eight years old they convinced her to play for the Bega Roosters and run alongside the boys.
“Both my brothers, Ryan and Deon, and my father, Jeff, played rugby league. I used to play footy in the back yard with them and one day they both were like, Kez you should really play. So I did, and they have been so supportive ever since,” Kezie said.
Outside of her personal training work at United Fitness Studio in Bega, Kezie puts in an extra nine hours or more of training every week, and a weekly trip to Helensburgh to play club footy.
Sure it would be easier to move closer to where the action is, but for Kezie the Bega Valley is home, and she loves her community.
She says her boss, Shaun, has really helped with her training and nutrition for footy, and puts this down to her success last year.
Kezie is also honoured to have a combined schools league tag day, the ‘Kezie Apps Shield’, named after her. It kicked off in 2015 as a great success, and she says it keeps getting bigger and better every year.
“I take the Shield day off work to help ref, play and just watch the girls have a great time,” she said.
Kezie is also an Illawarra Dragons ‘best you can be’ ambassador. As part of this role she’s visited public schools in the area to talk to years 5 and 6 about how they can be the best version of themselves through anything in life, whether it’s sport or not.
She is very passionate about helping kids believe in themselves and to chase their dreams. She believes that there are many benefits for girls playing sport and keeping active, so she encourages this through the program.
Playing rugby league until the NRL has a women’s comp is important to Kezie. She also wants to continue personal training and help people achieve their goals, but for now she wants to concentrate on the World Cup at the end of this year.
“It doesn’t matter where you live, or where you come from, if you have a dream and are willing to do the hard yards, anything is possible and dreams do really come true”, she said.
All this from one moment about 17 years ago when she decided to pick up a ball and give it a kick!
