For Mark Hewitt, Hamersley Carine Football Club has always been more than just a football club.

After moving to Perth from Victoria more than 40 years ago, Mark wandered across the road to Hamersley Carine training on his very first night in WA after spotting a “players wanted” sign. By the end of that week, he had changed clubs before even playing a game.

“I trained with Hamersley and called the other club on the Friday morning and said I’d be playing at Hamersley,” Mark recalled.

That decision sparked a lifelong connection with the club.

Mark played for 15 years before stepping away to raise a family, eventually returning in 2018 when his son reached Colts age. Since then, his involvement has grown far beyond simply watching from the sidelines.

Today, Mark wears many hats around the club while also helping coordinate team managers and football operations across the club.

But his motivation for volunteering stems from something deeper.

“When I look back now, I realised how much work goes on behind the scenes,” he said.

“I had a great experience playing there, and now I want the players coming through to have the same experience that I did.”

That experience, according to Mark, is about far more than football.

“It’s about feeling part of the community, building self-esteem, making lifelong friends and creating connections that flow into other parts of your life.”

Mark says one of the club’s biggest strengths is its welcoming culture and ensuring every player feels valued, regardless of their playing ability or background.

“Whether you play league or thirds, everyone’s equal,” he said.

“It’s about what you bring to the club as a person and your care for others.”

That people-first mentality has shaped the way Mark approaches his volunteer roles, particularly in player registration and team selection.

“We don’t want people getting lost in the system,” he said.

“If someone’s been training every week and doing the right thing, they deserve to be recognised.”

Across his years at the club, Mark has witnessed enormous change, particularly through the growth of women’s football.

“The introduction of the women’s side has been tremendous for Hamersley,” he said.

“They’ve brought incredible passion, energy and culture to the club.”

He also reflected proudly on helping rebuild the club’s Colts program after it temporarily folded, eventually seeing the side return and go on to win the club’s first Colts premiership just a few years later.

For Mark, though, the heartbeat of the club will always be its volunteers.

“The club doesn’t function without them,” he said.

“You might not always feel like giving up your whole Saturday, but you get energised by being around people and the positive environment. You get home tired, but you feel really good.”

This National Volunteer Week, the Perth Football League proudly celebrates volunteers like Mark, whose commitment helps create clubs that become more than just places to play football, but places people can call home.