Jade North
Jade is a proud indigenous from Biripi Country in Northern NSW. He made history as the Socceroos' first Indigenous Captain, with 41 appearances, starring in two Olympics, and two A-League championships. With a career spanning across ten clubs in five countries, he stands out as one of Australia's most accomplished football players.
As co-chair of Football Australia’s National Indigenous Advisory Group (NIAG), he is committed to ensuring he provides leadership, support, opportunity, and encouragement to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Jade is passionate about driving change in a variety of areas including education , community, culture, government, and job opportunities to help close the gap.
Jade comes from a resilient background, where his family encountered persistent discrimination and financial challenges. Thanks to his mother's dedicated efforts and positive actions she helped reset Jade's path on a new trajectory. Jade's journey in soccer has been one of remarkable success at the highest level of the sport proudly represented Australia in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic games. Jade was humbled to receive the 2016 NAIDOC Sportsperson on the Year for his football achievements.
For Jade, his remarkable soccer career was only the beginning. He dedicated himself to making a lasting positive influence for future generations. With strong determination, he opened doors for underprivileged children by providing mental and financial support to Indigenous and disadvantaged youth, ensuring that they all have an equal opportunity.
Jade is one of the most decorated football players of all time and through his Kickin with a Cuz foundation he continues to inspire future generations about the positive impacts of better life choices. He works tirelessly to foster opportunities for Indigenous youth.
Following his soccer career, Jade transitioned into the property and construction industry. In 2020 Jade was the part owner of an Indigenous owned business in the construction industry. In 2023 Jade commenced his position as the Indigenous Participation Manager for Hutchinson Builders. Hutchinson Builders, a vibrant and diverse construction company, is known for executing complex projects in major cities as well as in the most remote regions of Australia.
In 2024 Jade founded Kooreel, an Indigenous Construction Company with a vision to bridge the gap by offering specialised services tailored to meet the unique needs of Indigenous communities and government projects within the construction industry. Jades passion and commitment to community development and economic growth within the Indigenous community has been the driving force behind Kooreel.
