A career built on impact

Dave started his career as a Year 8 Health and Physical Education teacher — a role that helped him build confidence and discovering what it really meant to be an educator.

Anyone who has worked with Dave - or been taught by him - knows that teaching is part of his DNA, and being part of Kirwan High’s community is a blessing that Dave never takes for granted.

He even attended Kirwan State High School as a student, graduating in 1998. During this time Dave was still figuring out his future, and like many students entering university he wasn’t quite sure what career to pursue.

Growing up in Townsville, Dave had originally set his mind on becoming a police officer. But a conversation with a school counsellor shifted his path, steering him toward health and physical education.

He enrolled in the Bachelor of Education (Secondary) at JCU, staying close to his home in Townsville while gaining hands-on experience in local schools.

“The degree at JCU laid the platform for my career,” Dave says. “I wasn’t sure that I wanted to be a teacher at first, but I fell in love with it, and I owe a lot to JCU for that.”

For Dave, it was practical learning that made the difference.

“I remember being just out of high school when I did my first prac,” he says. “It started with a lot of observation, then running one or two lessons a week. That’s when I really started to love teaching — and I knew it was the career for me.”

Supported by his lecturers at JCU and able to balance his studies with representative rugby league — including touring Europe and New Zealand with the Australian Universities team — Dave built a strong foundation that would carry into his professional life.

After graduating from JCU in 2003, Dave began teaching at Mackay State High School, where he spent two years and established a rugby league program. But it was his return to Kirwan State High School in 2006 — this time as a teacher — that would shape the next chapter of his career.

Starting as a Health and Physical Education teacher and Year 8 rugby league coach, Dave quickly found himself drawn to leadership opportunities.

“Every five to seven years I’ve wanted to take on more challenges and step into more responsibility,” he says.

That drive saw him move through a range of roles — from team and subject leadership to Head of Rugby League in 2010. From there he coached Kirwan to a historic Australian Schoolboys Rugby League Championship win in 2015. That victory marked the first time a regional school had claimed the prestigious title, proving that school rugby league teams outside metropolitan areas could succeed on the national stage.

In 2016, he was appointed Kirwan High’s Head of HPE, before stepping into the role of Deputy Principal in 2021.

For Dave, each step forward has never just been about career progression — it’s been about expanding his impact.

“The benefit of progression is that you have the ability to have a bigger impact on people and students,” he says. “You have the ability to make important decisions and help students get the very most out of their education.”

That impact is what continues to drive him every day.

“It’s a privilege to work with students and then watch them go on to successful careers,” he says. “I’ve seen many become solicitors, physios, doctors and even professional athletes.”

Some of those professional athletes – who still regularly speak with Dave - include NRL stars such as Jeremiah Nanai, Jason Taumalolo, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

Dave also holds leadership roles within a several sporting bodies, including Chair of Townsville Secondary School Sport, Chair of Queensland Representative School Sport Rugby League, and assistant coach of the Australian Schoolboys Open Rugby League team.

A strong sense of community

Now a leader within the school he once attended as a student, Dave is deeply connected to the Kirwan community.

“I’m very passionate about Kirwan High,” he says. “The school gave me a lot as a student, and when I returned, I had fantastic mentors.

“Our Executive Principal Heather Murry has been an incredible mentor for me as a leader.”

That sense of support — something Dave says he also experienced at JCU — has been a constant throughout his professional journey.

“I was well supported at JCU and I had lecturers that I respected a lot,” he says. “They helped me balance my studies with footy, and that made a big difference.”

It’s a reflection of what Dave believes is at the heart of education: people.

“A lot of it comes down to the people you work with. I’ve never found myself alone — collaboration is a big part of education,” he says.

More than two decades on from his first university lecture, Dave still sees education as his calling.

“I know there are challenges in every profession but, personally, I’ve never had a day where I didn’t want to go into work,” Dave says.

“I count myself very fortunate to have a career in education.”