CARLTON assistant coach Tim Clarke has been rewarded for his 'significant commitment to constantly finding ways to grow and develop' by being honoured with the 2023 Phil Walsh Memorial Scholarship.
Clarke played 96 games for Hawthorn between 2000 and 2008, before embarking on his coaching career, joining Richmond as a development coach before taking the reins of the Tigers' VFL affiliate Coburg in 2013 and then their standalone team the following season.
He then moved to the Blues where he worked as midfield coach for three seasons before shifting north to Gold Coast.
Clarke returned to Carlton in 2021 to lead the midfield line under senior coach Michael Voss.
Clarke was announced as the recipient of a $10,000 grant at the AFL Coaches Association's annual general meeting on Thursday.
He said it was an honour to receive the scholarship, which is now in its eighth year and honours the legacy of former Adelaide coach Walsh by aiding the recipient's professional development.
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"The scholarship means a lot to me because it is one, good recognition for the investment I have made in coaching and the AFL over my journey so far and two, it will allow me to invest further in growing my leadership and management skills, to have a greater impact on both players and staff at the Blues," Clarke said.
"With the scholarship, I will invest in a course to grow my leadership and management skills. I have looked into this over the past six months and the scholarship will open up more opportunities in this space."
Clarke has completed a range of coaching courses, as well as completing a Masters of Sports Management at Deakin University. He also drove a 'Young Coaches Discussion Group' for coaches in the formative years of their roles to meet and discus challenges and share experiences.
Voss said Clarke's impact at the Blues could not be underestimated.
"Tim's ability to be able to evolve and adapt his leadership style and add skill sets throughout the journey is evident, he has great attention to detail and the time he spends with players is exceptionally positive," he said.
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"Tim's clear on his coaching philosophy and is looking to put time into the leadership and development space to take his coaching to the next level. Tim's had a great journey so far, he has learnt a lot and is committed to keep evolving and finding out what coach he wants to be, with all Tim's experiences and his upskilling if he is to take the next step, he'll have a clear vision of what that looks like."
Chief executive Alistair Nicholson said the scholarship was a way to remember "Phil's relentless curiosity, real care for people, and impact he had on many of our members and the industry".
"Nine high-calibre nominations were received this year with Tim being recognised for his significant commitment to constantly finding ways to grow and develop so he can bring his best to benefit all those around him. With the impact of the soft cap cuts over the past few years this scholarship from the AFLCA will assist Tim to travel overseas and look at further leadership and management programs and opportunities to aid his development at this point of his coaching career.
"Tim is an extremely worthy recipient of the Phil Walsh Scholarship and the industry will benefit greatly from Tim receiving this scholarship."
Walsh tragically died in July 2015 and is honoured by the AFLCA on the eve of each season through the scholarship, with all AFLCA members invited to apply.
Recipients of the Phil Walsh Memorial Scholarship
2016 - Ben Rutten
2017 - Adrian Hickmott
2018 - Aaron Greaves
2019 - Damian Truslove
2020 - Luke Kelly
2021 - Neville Jetta
2022 - Tim Clarke
