Zach Thornton is the match day and memberships co-ordinator at Werribee Football Club. He chats with Alesha Capone.
Could you tell me a bit about yourself?
I’m 25 years old and was born and raised in Wyndham. I went to Cambridge primary and Hoppers secondary schools growing up and worked and lived in Werribee, Tarneit and Hoppers Crossing, at places like Eagle Stadium, the Reject Shop, and now, the Werribee Football Club. I recently moved into Williams Landing with my lovely girlfriend, and it is such a nice, friendly area with great access to amenities. Within five minutes I can get to a train station, a shopping centre, a football oval or my local favourites WynCity or Okami. If only I could be closer to Sprinkles though.
How long have you worked at Werribee FC?
This is my fourth year of working at the club; entering my third year as a full-timer. I started out in a casual capacity, managing match days before being offered a full-time role in late 2018, and I’ve not looked back. Like most roles within sporting clubs, the job covers a myriad of different areas – in one day I can be doing anything ranging from managing a function to putting the covers on the centre wicket. Typically, though I’m interacting with our members, liaising with club sponsors, organising membership promo and supporting the club CEO Mark Penaluna administratively. Mainly, I love interacting with the people that make Werribee FC what it is, whether it is a volunteer, player, staff, member or supporter, there are a lot of great people with interesting stories which are part of what make the club so great. The community connection the club has with Werribee also makes the job worthwhile. We’ve been firmly engrained in the identity of the area for over 50 years, and through our efforts in the community and ongoing relationships with local businesses, I have no doubt we’ve had an impact on thousands upon thousands of peoples. The beauty of VFL football too is that it’s near-AFL quality footy with the feel of a local football game. One second you could be watching the game with a burger and a drink five metres away from the action, and the next you could be on the ground at the break to hear the coaches speak – you don’t get that at the MCG. I highly encourage everyone to visit Avalon Airport Oval to watch a Werribee match at some point in the year, as it’s a truly spectacular experience I know you won’t regret.
Outside of work, what are your hobbies?
I absolutely love listening to music and going to live gigs. Whether it’s a local newcomer at a small bar in the city or one of the biggest stars in the world at an arena, I adore the live music experience. COVID obviously put a hold to that in recent times, however I was able to (somewhat) fill the void with my new favourite hobby – running. My biggest passion though would be the Tarneit Football Club – where I both play and serve on the committee. It’s like Werribee FC in a lot of ways, in that the people there are outstanding and contribute to a diverse, welcoming culture that makes me proud to be a part of it.
Would you like to add anything else?
It’s rare to hear these days but I genuinely love Werribee and all its surrounds. Growing up I’d only ever hear self-deprecation from the people around me about living in Werribee. I think many have internalised the negative perceptions that exist outside the area when we have so much to be proud of. We have elite sporting facilities in basketball, football and racing, wonderful attractions like the zoo, the mansion and rose garden and a flourishing town with an increasing number of great businesses, restaurants and activities – all on our front doorstep! Let’s give ourselves a try and be proud of what Werribee has to offer.
