As part of National Volunteer Week, the Perth Football League is celebrating the people who are the backbone of community football clubs – and there are few that embody that spirit more than Thornlie Football Club secretary, Jade Holmes.

While 'Secretary' may be her official title, Jade's role stretches far beyond a single position.

“I’m team manager for the league side and pretty much do anything and everything,” Jade said. 

She dedicates her time across game days, monitoring fees, uniforms, registrations, events, scoreboard responsibilities and coordinating umpires. 

It’s a workload she jokingly describes as “a full-time job on top of my full-time job”, but for Jade, Thornlie is far more than just a football club.

Now in her ninth year in an official role, Jade’s connection to the club goes back much further, with her dad serving as club president for many years, football has always been a family tradition. 

Whilst having an official role for the last nine years, Jade has been around the club long before. With her dad playing and coaching from the early days Jade said “I’ve been there since I was born really”. 

That family connection remains at the heart of Thornlie today, with multiple members of the Holmes family continuing to volunteer their time each week. With not just her dad involved around the club, but Jade’s mum also volunteering around the canteen and bar. And with a long-standing committee, these club volunteers have helped to provide stability through the years.

Despite the countless hours involved in community football, Jade says seeing the club continue to grow makes every challenge worthwhile. After a difficult 2025 season, Jade has loved seeing a new wave of young players emerge this year. 

“Last year was a challenging year across a number of areas, especially our Colts team, but the players stuck by and it was great to see them come back and enjoy their football” she said. 

The women’s team has continued to evolve and strengthen each season, a transformation that has been rewarding to witness. 

“I remember when the team was first established in 2023, numbers were often stretched thin, managing to field 14 to 18 players most weeks and occasionally have a player or two on the bench. Four years on, the growth of the Women’s team has been remarkable, with new faces and younger legs helping the team’s strong performances showing on the field today”

Jade says resilience has always been key to volunteering in football, especially during tougher periods. 

“You just get on with it” she said, “You take the wins as they come and just keep pushing through”.

Jade’s story reflects the spirit of community football – families, volunteers and passionate club members working together for the love of the game. She has an enormous impact on the Thornlie Football Club and is recognised for her incredible dedication to community football.