Dale Richards, former junior star, now an inspiration for indigenous kids all over Queensland. Photo: Omerod/ASL.

ASL magazine have put up a cool little story about Dale Richards, the first indigenous surfer to ever compete in a World Tour event, and now an ambassador for Queensland’s Learn Earn Legend! program.

Although he’s only 23, Dale, who has graced the covers of ASL and Tracks, gave away competitive surfing a couple of years ago then lost his way before finally finding a job in the mines of Port Hedland, WA.

What makes him different to so many Australian pro juniors who lose their way in the big leagues, Dale Richards is a proud, Ipswich-born Murri, and has been sharing his story with indigenous kids around Queensland. The kids volunteer to spend their holidays at community workshops, and gave Dale the chance to – as ASL say – show them how he’d avoided and overcome the hardships we all face in life, and how they can too. For the kids at the clinics, who can struggle to relate to the parade of sporting superstars wheeled out to meet them, the hard-working surfer with the easy smile is about as great a role model as they could hope for.

It’s a cool story of an athlete finding his path in life and making the most of his opportunities. Check it out at the ASL site.