It’s not the most common thing for someone to give their all to a footy club they used to play against, but that’s exactly what Mark Schreiber, this week’s AFL Queensland volunteer of the week, does.
Schreiber, the current team manager for the Nambour and Hinterland senior team, spent his playing days at the Pomona Football Club.
“I adore Pomona, but my home is at Nambour, my heart is there now,” Schreiber said.
Schreiber’s connection with the blue and white started back in 2003, through his children.
“I had always loved footy, my young bloke wanted to play, that was the closest club, and I played against them when I used to play for Pomona,” he said.
“I always liked the club and we have been there ever since.”
In the 13 years since, Schreiber has served as coach, coaching coordinator, committee member, senior president and senior team manager. That’s some résumé.
He can’t help but get in and get his hands dirty, even now, after his children have moved on from the club.
“That’s just me. I can’t sit around and do nothing. Even in summer, I’m an active member of the Marcoola Surf Club. I hate sitting around and doing nothing, I’ve got to be doing something, I just want to make a difference and I want to help out,” Schreiber said.
“I think back to my playing days and we had no help back then, and I wanted to try and make a bit of a difference. It is difficult to find people to help out, I love the game, and want to help out and stay involved in the game as long as possible.”
He said the key to being able to devote so much time to the club is balance.
“It is a lot of your plate and it is difficult, but my wife is pretty understanding, we do our own thing at times. We strike a balance,” Schreiber said.
While committed to helping the club in whatever way possible, he is also a big believer in keeping things fresh, which is why he will most likely move on from the team manager position next year, as he did with the presidency position after a two-year stint.
“I’ve indicated to the club that I probably won’t be team manager next year but I might take on another role. I firmly believe in trying to get new people into the club with new ideas. I’ll do something in the club next year, I’m just not sure what yet,” he said.
If I were to describe Mark Schreiber in one word, it would be clubman.
A bloke who is prepared to do whatever he can, whatever way he can, to help the club grow.
By Andrew Wiles – @andrewjwiles
