Our Story

From one coach’s mission to a movement that’s changing lives.

The Redtails concept began with Rob Clarke’s deep desire to be part of the solution. As a long-time junior footy coach and community leader in Alice Springs, Rob saw that his community was at a crisis point. He recognised the need for a unifying and positive incentive that could help shift attitudes and behaviours. It needed to be something big enough to spark real change.

Rob had been coaching the Northside Power U13 team since 2004, working with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous players. Over time, he saw just how much football meant to these young people, especially the Indigenous lads. More than just a game, it became a space where discipline, self-respect, and deep mateship were formed.

Among the many young people Rob coached was Jake Neade, a gifted young Aboriginal footballer with extraordinary speed, vision, and heart. Jake wasn’t just talented on the field; he was a natural leader and someone his teammates looked up to. Football was everything to him. A passion, a purpose, and a pathway to a better future. But to pursue that future, Jake had to leave Central Australia. While Rob supported his journey, it raised a painful truth. The region was losing potential leaders. Young men like Jake were role models who could have inspired the next generation, right here in our community.

In 2010, Rob’s work with youth took a heartbreaking turn. A young man he had mentored from Amoonguna was tragically murdered. The loss was devastating. What shook Rob even more was the lack of community response. The young man’s death was barely acknowledged in the local paper. It was a clear sign that something was wrong. The lives of young Aboriginal people were being treated as disposable. Their stories went untold, and their potential unrecognised.

This moment became the turning point.

Rob began pushing harder for a program that could celebrate local talent, keep kids on Country, and build pride in culture and community. Around the same time, Ian McAdam, a respected figure in Territory football, was developing a project called Right Tracks. When the two men connected, it was clear their visions aligned.

Together, they brought the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program to life. It is a bold initiative rooted in sport but built for something far greater: hope, healing, and genuine opportunity.