Here’s one young woman who feels the energy and beauty of Ipswich and uses it to power her sporting career.
From childhood days at Limestone Park to weekends with friends at Riverlink Shopping Centre, Dakota Davidson has always called Ipswich home.
Now, the Brisbane Lions AFLW player is celebrating her roots by signing a contract and committing to two more seasons with the Lions.
Although Davidson participated in various sports at Ipswich Girls’ Grammar, the AFL star revealed she wasn’t aware of the sport’s existence until after graduating.
“During school, I would play any sport I could to get me a day off school,” Davidson said.
“However, back then AFL wasn’t a thing so footy never even crossed my mind.”
After finishing school with no clear direction, 18-year-old Dakota Davidson was “dragged” by her sister to attend the University of Queensland’s open day.
“When I had a look at the AFL tent, there was a photo of a bloke that I thought looked so familiar,” Davidson said.
“Turns out it was my dad, so I signed up for the UQ team and that’s really where it all started.”
Seven years later, the 25-year-old boasts two premierships and was named to the 2023 AFL Women’s All-Australian team.
Having recently committed to another two seasons in the maroon, blue, and gold, Davidson emphasised the significance of this decision.
“Brisbane Lions is a great all-around place to learn and to grow and to make me a better athlete,” she said.
“I think I have come such a long way, and I owe it to them as they’ve had faith in me since my early UQ days.”
With the Brisbane Lions based in Springfield, Davidson shared her excitement about the opportunity to play in her home city.
“It’s great for little kids to see that just because you come from Ipswich, it doesn’t mean you are any less than kids that come from the big city,” she said.
Although she moved out of Ipswich at 18, Davidson didn’t hesitate to name Ipswich Cinemas and Riverlink Shopping Centre as her go-to spots for after-school catchups.
“I was always using my imagination and riding my bike around the area,” she said.
“I grew up just down the road from Limestone Park, so I spent most days there, whether that be the netball courts or the athletics track.”
Starting her footy journey during her “18-year-old party phase,” Davidson didn’t initially see herself as a potential AFLW player.
However, in recent years, Davidson has come to realise that AFLW could be a viable career path.
“It was never at the forefront of my career, but I see that it can be as I move in that direction,” she said.
“It’s so cool that I come in every day with 30 of my best mates, kick a ball around and call it my job.”
Heading into the 2024 season, Davidson and the Lions face the challenge of defending their admired premiership title.
“There is always a target on your back when you win a flag, but we like to treat it as a clean slate,” Davidson said.
“We think of it as a fresh year where not only do we have a different team, but so do others.”
Davidson advised aspiring young girls to avoid putting too much pressure on themselves and to enjoy the learning process.
“At the end of the day, just don’t forget to have fun as that’s the most important thing, because you can lose yourself a bit in this arena,” she said.
“Being able to bring yourself back to why you are playing and why you are here is valuable.”
