Ms Bird got involved with league when she was growing up in sports-mad Portland, and had her first taste of playing in the women's team for the local club in 1978.
She went on to become one of Northland's leading rugby league administrators and advocates, helped set up a Northland-wide competition, organised junior and senior tournaments and was involved in Ngawha prison being included in the local competition.
Normal game days would see her helping mark fields, putting out and taking in goalpost pads, cooking at the sausage sizzles, selling raffles, helping organise the after-game meal and doing official duties at the after-function. On grand final days, she would be out early at Jubilee Park carting a bucket of sand to fill holes and doing other maintenance, being official match manager, helping out at the gate, being time keeper or a car park attendant.
Ms Bird's colleagues say there are probably only two things she hasn't done yet - coach a senior team and drive kids to their game (she doesn't drive).
She has been a Portland Rugby League delegate to the Northland board, and is a Portland life member, Whangarei City and District delegate and chairwoman, Northland delegate to NZRL, official match manager, tournament organiser, draw steward, competition organiser (North wide), judiciary member and Rugby League Northland director.
NZRL spokeswoman Philippa Ivory said Ms Bird was a highly respected, worthy recipient of an award that recognised outstanding service to the game. Distinguished Service medals were also awarded to Richard Bolton, Bob Dragecivich, Graham Lowe and Christine Panapa.
