Gleeson’s rare milestone built on culture

TORQUAY Football Club coach Dom Gleeson will bring up his 200th game in charge this weekend, a rare achievement at any level of local football and even more significant given it has all come at one club.

In an era where coaching tenures can be short-lived, Gleeson’s longevity reflects not just success, but a deep connection to place, people and purpose.

Since taking over in 2015, he has overseen one of the Bellarine’s most successful periods, including premierships in 2017, 2023 and 2024. But beyond the wins, his impact has been shaped by the environment created around the club.

“I just loved the feeling and the culture,” Gleeson said.

Arriving at Torquay after a decorated VFL career and time as a playing assistant coach at Geelong VFL, Gleeson admitted he was still finding his feet as a coach.

“I was so green, but I had amazing support from day one,” he said.

That support has remained a constant across his tenure. Long-time assistant coach Aaron Nesbitt has been alongside him for much of the journey, while Cam Healy, once an assistant, is now club president, reflecting the growth of both individuals and the organisation.

Torquay has evolved into a major community hub, expanding to dozens of teams across junior, senior and women’s programs, with a clear pathway from grassroots to senior football.

On any given weekend, the club brings together players, families and volunteers in large numbers.

“It’s a big beast now, Torquay Football Club,” Gleeson said.

For Gleeson, the focus from the outset was to lift standards and create an environment that mirrored higher levels of the game.

 

“What I did want was to make it a semi-professional feeling when you walked in,” he said.

That approach has left a lasting impression on players.

“For the three hours a week that I’m with you, I feel like a professional footballer,” one player told him.

It is a philosophy that has helped drive both performance and connection, with many players progressing through the club’s junior ranks into the senior program.

When Gleeson first arrived at Torquay more than a decade ago, he made a point of engaging with the junior program and watching the next generation come through.

“I’m actually coaching those under-12 players,” Gleeson said.

While premiership success has been a highlight, Gleeson said the journey has also been defined by setbacks, including multiple grand final losses that continue to drive standards.

“I think the losses outweigh the wins because you almost feel like you deserve the ones because you worked so hard for them,” he said.

The milestone also reflects the broader community that underpins the club, from volunteers to families who contribute week in, week out.

Early in his tenure, team manager Jen Bennett, affectionately known as “Mother Hen”, played a key role in building that support network.

 

Gleeson’s own family has grown up around the club, with his wife Erin and their children knowing little else than life at Torquay on a Saturday.

“That’s all they know,” he said.

Gleeson said that sense of connection was something he experienced growing up at Koroit, where football and netball clubs were central to community life.

“Growing up at a footy club is always belonging to something bigger than your family and then it becomes your family,” he said.

Across regional communities like Torquay and Koroit, football and netball clubs bring people together, creating a sense of identity that extends well beyond game day.

Despite reaching 200 games, Gleeson said longevity was never part of the original plan.

“I just thought I’d finish off my playing as a playing coach and then sort of move on,” he said.

Instead, the connection to the club and its people has kept him invested, with the milestone offering a chance to reflect on a journey shaped by shared effort.

“It’s an opportunity to thank all the people that have helped me along my journey,” he said.

As Torquay prepares for another chapter, Gleeson’s 200-game milestone stands as a testament to the power of culture, continuity and community in local football.