Clarke, who hails from Booleroo in country South Australia, proved a standout within his local community both on the football field and at school.
Such was his aptitude in the classroom, he was one of only six students selected for a trip to Europe after successfully submitting an essay to the 2009 Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize.
His commitment towards his education even took precedence over a potential move to Adelaide to further his football development with North Adelaide in the SANFL.
Fortunately, Clarke still found his way onto the Brisbane Lions’ rookie list - albeit via a relatively unconventional path.
Not long after arriving in Queensland, Clarke was pleased to learn that he had blitzed his South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE), which allowed him to hand-pick his preferred University course. The intelligent 18 year-old’s hard work had certainly paid off.
Now, as he prepares for his debut AFL season and university, Clarke is weighing up the best way to effectively manage his time in 2012.
“I’m still undecided, but at this stage I think I’ll defer study for about a year just so that I can get used to the intensity of training and moving away from home,” Clarke said.
“I’ve applied for Aerospace Engineering up here at University of Queensland (UQ), and I look forward to starting that.”
“Eventually it could be a bit of an outlet for me if I can work it in with my footy. It should provide a good balance.”
A number of Lions players have, and in some cases still are, balancing their football commitments with part-time tertiary study. One of the most famous recent examples was former triple Premiership player Luke Power who took a decade to complete a Journalism degree at UQ.
“It's been 10 long years…I think I must be the longest-serving Arts student ever,” Power said upon finally finishing his degree in 2008.
