“Not only has Zach filled many roles, but he also does so with an unbelievable mindset of doing each job at the highest level possible! He is always willing to do what is needed for our members and the organization as a whole, and is unbelievably deserving to be this quarters staff star!”

 

– Brian McCarthy, Main Club Director

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Q. What is your history with the Club? How long have you worked here?

I was first introduced to the Club through the summer basketball leagues. I started in junior high at the old Club downtown, and have been playing off and on ever since. After some time spent in New Mexico and California, I moved back home in 2017 and saw an ad to volunteer coach a basketball team. I thought that’d be a good way for me to give back to my community. Not too long after that, things fell into place with an athletic staff job opening up, and getting hired to work for the Club. I’ve worked here for almost 2 years and fill different roles. I have been the Gym Coordinator at the Main Club since February.

Q. What made you want to work at the Club?

I knew it was a place that helped a lot of kids. Its reputation around town, and my personal history with the Club, made it a place I thought would be great to work. I have a passion for sports and fitness. I also grew up with a mother who was a Kindergarten teacher, and surrounded by many cousins; I now also have a niece and nephew. All those factors showed me how to better connect with kids and to try everyday to make a positive impact on their lives.

Q. What one lesson have you learned being immersed in the Club?

I’ve learned patience, without a doubt. A lot of it came from understanding the kids at the Club. I needed patience when they were full of energy, had a bad day at school, or were dealing with family issues. Sometimes, I think we forget how hard it can be to be a kid. Most of them are going through a lot more than us adults are aware of, and it takes patience to be someone they can trust and talk to. Not all days are good days, and I’ve learned to understand that some steps backward are needed in order for a kid to learn from it and grow.

Q. What do you hope you leave with the kids?

I hope I leave with the kids someone who was a mentor, encouraged them, and made them feel confident in their own skin. I truly believe in the benefits of physical activity and sports, and I hope I leave them with an appreciation for that. Whatever their thing is: basketball, soccer, gymnastics, hockey, track, etc., I hope they find which sport they enjoy, and are good at, and stick with it. In this generation especially, I feel it’s my mission to get the kids off their tablets and phones and move around, have fun with their friends, and forget about electronics for a while. I used to manage a fitness studio, and that opened my eyes to the power of daily exercise and proper nutrition – something I try to work into my programming and lessons.

Q. What is your favorite part of the day?

My favorite part of the day is usually the hour of awesomeness at the end of the day. It gives us staff a chance to be creative and come up with cool new activities for the kids. We try to outdo each other and in doing so have just as much fun as the kids. This year we’ve been stepping up the level of awesomeness at the Main Club.

Q. If you had to explain to someone who may not be familiar with what happens at the Club, how would you explain it?

The Club is a place where lives are saved. That may sound a bit dramatic, but I believe that. It’s a sanctuary for kids to be in a safe environment with resources around them to keep them learning and active. We teach life lessons, how to be a good citizen, family member, friend, and more. The Club gives them a place to have fun, make friends, and be kids. In a family sense, it allows hard working parents to leave their children at a place they love, and where they can use their time productively.

Q. Tell us more about you. Family? Hobbies? Interests?

I’m a pretty normal guy. Family and close friends are most important to me. I love the outdoors and everything living in Wyoming offers. Fishing, camping, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, and golf are a few things that keep me busy. I enjoy traveling and seeing new places. I’m a big fan of sports, especially the best franchise in football, the Green Bay Packers.

Q. What is your position/duty at the Club?

I’m the Gym Coordinator at the Main Club of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming.