Marty makes most of opportunities, one smile at a time

A 20-year connection with genU is helping one Langwarrin participant live his best life, on and off the field. 

Martin Dobson, affectionately known as Marty, joined Wongabeena in Rosebud as an 18-year-old out of school and continues to enjoy being part of the genU community as a client in Participate. 

It was an ideal next step, post-school, for Marty to stay connected socially and learn important life skills, as well as maintaining contact with mates in the program, according to his father, Brian. 

“He knew people who were going there, and he had mates going with him…it made life and the transition very easy,” Brian, said. 

“There’s a few still there and he’s known them for more than 30 years.”

At that time, the Dobson family were living on the Mornington Peninsula, and it was a much easier commute for Marty than it is now. 

For the last 12 years, Marty is up at 5am and out the door at 6am to catch a train, then a bus so he can see his friends and get involved in the Participate programs. 

Over the years there have been a few genU location changes, but these have never deterred Marty from making the daily journey.

“When we moved from the Mornington Peninsula, we thought he might change to a new centre, but he wasn’t interested, he did a trial there and said, ‘I want to keep going to Frankston’,” Brian said. 

Now at genU’s Langwarrin site, Marty benefits from genU’s Participate programs, five days a week, immersing himself in a variety of activities, including golf, gym, swimming, and basketball. Lately he’s also been dominating on the tenpin bowling lane, racking up high scores, including a 225.  

This involvement in Participate programs has a positive impact on Marty’s wellbeing, evident when it’s term break and Marty misses the connections and can’t wait to get back. 

“He enjoys talking to the support workers and has a good rapport with them,” Brian said. 

“He just loves going down there, he gets on well with everyone and it makes his life a bit easier. We worry because it's such a long trip, but he doesn't want to stop going.”

And it’s not just on the bowling that Marty plays a big game. His volunteering has given an insight into major sporting clubs that would be the envy of many.

He had a long association with the Melbourne Football Club before switching codes to the NRL with the Melbourne Storm in 2024. 

As a Volunteer Training Assistant with the Storm, Marty has picked up where he left off with the Demons, helping on training days, doing the drinks and water and pitching in where he’s needed. 

Being on a first-name basis with the General Manager of Football has its perks, on occasions dinner with the team, and even a seat on the team bus.   

“He sits quite easily at the table to have meals with coaches, players and staff, and it has been commented how Marty's doing a great job,” Brian said. 

Prior to his Storm gig, for 16 years he rubbed shoulders with the Melbourne Football Club as a Volunteer Property Steward. 

Brian had an established relationship with the club, and when Marty turned 21, he emailed the Dees to see if there was a volunteer position available for his son. 

He got the nod and was at the club the following day to attend a training session at the Junction Oval in St Kilda, and was soon lending a hand on game day. 

After being asked to fill in one day at Casey Fields when the regular trainers couldn’t make training, Marty started running water for the players and was soon doing training sessions and every game day in Melbourne, along with a number of interstate games. 

In time, Brian was also asked to help out, and father and son spent about 10 years together supporting the club. 

“Marty would start at 11am, load and unload the truck, preparing the rooms for the game, on ground warm-ups and assisting cleaning the players’ boots,” Brian said.

If his life wasn’t busy enough, Marty started doing a similar role for the Melbourne AFLW team, at training and games, as well as kicking footballs with the women players during the game warmup. He was also asked by the Casey coach to assist them on game days and occasional training. 

In 2018, Marty featured in a Swisse campaign alongside AFLW star and Demons captain Daisy Pearce, with Daisy nominating Marty for the Best Off Ground award, for going above and beyond to support the Dees. 

Taking care of the 2021 premiership cup for a 24-hour stint was a highlight of Marty’s involvement with the Demons AFL side, when the cup came back to Melbourne after the grand final in Perth. 

Daisy also sent him a personally signed photo after the AFLW Demons were premiers in 2022, with the message ‘We did it, Marty’.    

“He was well and truly involved,” Brian said. 

Volunteering has helped Marty grow his confidence, according to his father. The players, coaches and staff all accepted him and welcomed him to both clubs.  

“Marty’s positive personality plays a big part in him connecting with everyone at club land, from the chairperson, coach to players and other staff,” Brian said. 

Recently, Marty was one of the participants who accompanied The National Golf Club CEO Matthew Corboy while he toured the Langwarrin premises to see the new kitchen and upgrades, thanks to the Club’s $50,000 donation.

Find out how you can benefit like Marty from our Participate programs here https://www.genu.org.au/community-participation/.

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