‘I Thought I Couldn’t Do Both’: The Athlete And Artist Within AFLW’s Aliesha Newman

‘I Thought I Couldn’t Do Both’: The Athlete And Artist Within AFLW’s Aliesha Newman

By
Gemma Srijan

In a world where our careers get in the way, other passions can sometimes get neglected. 

Finding that sweet spot between locking in and clocking out can often feel impossible, and sometimes the hunger that we put into our career creates tunnel vision that blinds us from the things we enjoy. 

This feeling is too familiar for GWS Giants’ AFLW player Aliesha Newman, a proud Ningy Ningy woman, who has been working hard to rejuvenate her passion as an Indigenous artist. 

The contrast between her ferocious plays on the footy field and delicate artwork makes it hard to fathom that they’re made by the same person. 

Such a juxtaposition raises one burning question: how?

Inspired by her duality, we took a deep dive with Aliesha to solve the mystery of how she seamlessly passes the footy between her roles as an athlete and artist. 

When it’s a contact sport, the contacts go in

Aliesha’s rise to success in her career as an AFLW player oozes passion, as her love for the game translates vividly through her dynamic plays on the field. “Since I could walk, I was always kicking a football,” says Aliesha, reminiscing on her adoration for the sport.

Although her enthusiasm has always come naturally, Aliesha highlights how her eye condition can sometimes interrupt her game. 

Footy is already such a physically demanding sport. Add in not being able to see, and you’re pretty much toast (especially if your glasses get smashed by a tackle). 

“With footy, I can’t wear glasses, [plus] I already wear a helmet,” Aliesha notes, resenting the idea of adding to her already bulky headgear. “Specsavers easyvision contact lenses have been so easy to help with the transition to footy,” says Aliesha, sporting a fresh pair of contacts whenever she hits the field. 

Glasses can really interfere with an athlete’s ability to compete at a high level, and Aliesha is no exception to this. “I wasn’t aware of how much impact wearing contacts would have. I wish I had worn them earlier,” says Aliesha. Reflecting on how making this switch has impacted her play style, she also notes that “understan[ding] the flight of the ball was something [she] struggled with pre-having contacts,” exacerbating the positive effects transitioning to contacts has had on her game. 

“I wear contacts on a training/game day, which is four out of the seven days a week. They make a huge difference to my ability to see, and not having to lug my glasses around everywhere is extremely helpful.” 

Creativity on and off the footy field

Although Aliesha’s passion and success in her AFLW career shines bright, she still felt like something was missing: her love for showcasing her heritage through Indigenous art. 

“I kind of put off art for a long time because I thought I couldn’t do both,” states Aliesha when asked about her dual skill set. As a proud Ningy Ningy woman, Aliesha realised that the responsibility she feels as a role model in football also translates to the art space.

Establishing her own commission Indigenous art business, Jippi Jippi Dreaming, Aliesha is a living example of her belief that “you can definitely have more than one passion.”

“Being able to have the ability to be creative on the field as well as off the field, I think, is really important,” comments Aliesha, who has found a way to combine her passion for football and art, regularly pioneering many significant collaborations with the AFL. 

This includes custom jerseys and boots for major clubs and players to wear on the field, turning her sporting passion into an artistic one, too. “It’s so rewarding to see people’s reaction when I’ve finished painting something and hand it over,” says Aliesha. 

She also credits her art practice as a way to take care of her mental health. “Being able to put my headphones on and start painting is something that has helped me throughout my whole career,” Aliesha notes.

Having the ability to “switch off and do what [she] love[s] doing” is what ultimately keeps the perfect harmony of her two passions.

Embracing it all

Aliesha’s inspirational story of how she balances her two passions is a reminder of the importance of doing what you love. 

Similar to the contrast of Aliesha’s physical AFLW career and captivating artistry, finding ways to adapt and balance your duality is essential to representing the truest form of yourself. 

And, to further take Aliesha’s advice, choosing the appropriate eyewear for said passions makes a world of difference, too. 

If you’re looking for ways to accommodate that one passion you’ve been putting off, maybe it’s time to give contact lenses a try.

Specsavers offers free contact lens consultations that can be booked in-store or online. The Specsavers team will give you an in-depth coaching sesh about all things contact lenses before sending you home with a free pack. A great add-on that lets you test them out with all your favourite hobbies.

Give them a go, and you too can reflect the duality of your own passions, just like Aliesha.

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