Redtails Football Club program placed on pause during Coronavirus pandemic

REDTAILS president Rob Clarke returned jubilant from a successful team tour to New Zealand, only to be shattered a fortnight later when forced to shutdown the successful program due to COVID-19.

Redtails president Rob Clarke talks to his charges.

REDTAILS president Rob Clarke returned jubilant from a successful team tour to New Zealand, only to be shattered a fortnight later when forced to shutdown the successful program due to COVID-19.

The Redtails Football Club had capped off a tour of New Zealand with an emphatic 16.10 (106) to 2 4 (16) win over the AFL New Zealand Premiership selection side on March 4.

Not long after the team’s return to Alice Springs, safety precautions had started to ramp up in the wake of the global coronavirus outbreak.

“We were lucky to be in and out (of New Zealand),” Clarke said. “When we left it wasn’t that drastic, but as we were over there it (COVID-19) started to gain momentum. When we were back (in Alice) it still wasn’t that drastic and all of a sudden all hell broke loose.”

Clarke had no choice but to temporarily cease the men’s Redtails and women’s Pinktails programs, which use football as an incentive to encourage their players to seek employment.

“We were supposed to be in Sydney this weekend with the 17s and under, but we had to can that,” Clarke said.

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“And we stopped (Redtails and Pinktails) training about two weeks ago. What do you do? It is out of our control, it’s very disappointing.

“What’s really disappointing is the opportunity that’s been taken away from everybody; the camaraderie it (the programs) creates for people from different backgrounds and communities and football clubs.

“I’m still helping people gain employment, which is also difficult to do with so many people getting laid off.

“A positive is I may have someone who is part of Redtails employed this week, which would be awesome.

“I’m hoping to wait and see, just hope it goes sooner rather than later and we can get back into things (with the Redtails and Pinktails).”

He described the New Zealand trip, which included a Maori cultural tour and also exploring flora and fauna, culminating in the game as an incredible experience.

“To come away with 26 senior leaders out of that group was amazing,” he said. “The way they jelled, the camaraderie and contemporary dance they designed themselves (to counter the haka) … was unbelievable. It’ll be with them forever.”