Gemma Houghton’s best life

Describe the best day of your life.
It’s hard to narrow it down to one particular day but I’d say the day I decided to make the transition from basketball into footy. Taking the opportunity to play a sport I’d never played before and go into the unknown of what it was going to deliver, I think that was probably the best day my life, because it’s resulted in the last nine seasons and the people I’ve met along the way. The journey it’s taken me on has made me into the person I am today. I wouldn’t have had half of the life experiences I’ve had so far without saying yes to footy.

Describe the best meal you’ve ever eaten.
My mum’s lasagna or spaghetti. Nothing beats a home-cooked meal from Mum. It just warms the soul. I know she adds some white sauce to her lasagna and some other secret things, but it’s just knowing that it’s from Mum, made with love, that makes it so good.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
When you go through certain challenges in life being able to pick out the little parts of it that will add value and add strength to you. The best advice I’ve been able to learn from life is when you get hit hard with something that you feel is overwhelming, something that can weigh you down, if you can pull all the positive out of it and what you can learn from that situation, rather than thinking ‘why is it happening to me’, that’s the best thing that you can do in any situation, no matter who it’s with or what’s in front of you.

What is your most treasured photograph and why?
There’s a special photo of Mum last year on her birthday, when we’d come into the room with the lights off, and we had a cake with sparkles. Before mum even made eye contact with us, she looked at the cake and her eyes just lit up and a big smile came across her face. I just saw an innocence in Mum. Even though she’s older than me, I probably saw her not as my mum, but I saw her as a human and I guess the person she is without the “Mum” title. Seeing her smile and her face light up, it’s just a photo I’ll treasure forever.

Who is your favourite person and what are their best qualities?
Mum would have to be my favourite person. Her best quality is the love and care that she has always shown us kids and anyone in life, no matter whether she’s known them her entire life, or if they’re a stranger. She treats everyone with love and care and I think that quality has been passed down to us kids. I’m so grateful that we were raised that way and we’re now able to pass that down to our children. The world needs more kindness and more caring people, and that’s one of Mum’s traits.

What are the best 5 songs on your Spotify playlist?
Alienated by Zayn is one I’ve been listening to recently.
Pretty Lady by TASH Sultana.
I’m really enjoying Quavo and Lana Del Rey’s new song, Tough. That’s a really nice song.
I like Billie Eilish and my favourite song on her album is probably Wildflower, and you have to round out the songs with Never Tear Us Apart by INXS. It doesn’t get better than hearing that on a home game day at Alberton Oval in the last minute before the umpires bounce the ball.

What is the best purchase you’ve ever made?
It is a toss-up between the plane ticket to Adelaide when I joined Port Adelaide … or my bed. When I moved over here, I picked up a really great athlete’s bed that feels like I’m sleeping on clouds.

Port Adelaide plays Fremantle on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at 4.05pm at Alberton Oval.