For Dylan Holmes, Friday night’s International Women’s Day match is about much more than football.
As the Reds prepare to take the field at Coopers Stadium, the midfielder hopes the night becomes a celebration of the entire South Australian football community.
Holmes says opportunities to play a standalone match at Coopers Stadium are rare – and the players are hoping families, junior footballers and local clubs will turn out to make the occasion special.
“We don’t get to play at Coopers on a Friday night by ourselves like ever,” Holmes said.
“So we really hope we can get as many people from the South Australian football community to come and support us.”
The team has spent the week visiting local clubs and connecting with young players across the state – something Holmes says has been one of the highlights leading into the game.
“It’s been really cool to go and visit local clubs this week and engage with some of the young girls coming through,” she said.
“For us, it’s a really special opportunity to show what’s possible in football right now.”
For Holmes, the match also carries a deeply personal meaning.
On Friday, players will walk out alongside some of the most important women in their lives – a moment that celebrates the people who helped them reach the professional stage.
“I’ll have my mum and my sister with me,” Holmes said.
“They’re at most games anyway, so it’ll be really nice for them to be on the field before kickoff.”
Holmes hopes the night will inspire the next generation of South Australian footballers watching on.
After all, she remembers being one of those young players dreaming of a moment like this.
“We’re living the dreams that we had when we were that age,” she said.
With the Reds returning to action after a short break and entering the crucial final stretch of the season, Holmes says the team can’t wait to get back on the pitch.
But first, she’s hoping to see Coopers Stadium full of the football community that helped shape the team’s journey.
And for the young girls in the crowd, the message is simple – dreams like this are possible.
