She’s done it all her life.

From a schoolgirl in Albury to one of the best basketballers in the world, Jackson has been a trailblazer for both women in sport and young athletes from regional centres.

So, it should come as no surprise that Jackson is part of a push to bring the 2030 Commonwealth Games to regional Victoria, including Wodonga and Yarrawonga.

Just over a decade ago, Jackson was able to win a gold medal on “home” turf in Melbourne.

Imagine the thrill a young tennis fan from the Border would have at being able to witness gold medals decided on the grass courts of Wodonga.

Better yet, a young star from our region who’s just six or seven years of age today might be taking part.

Of course, a lot has to happen before regional Victoria is successful in its bid, but you’ve got to start somewhere.

It’s disappointing to hear Premier Daniel Andrews, who hails from Wangaratta, say regional centres would be “well-placed to host a games like that because of course Metro Tunnel would be finished by then … These level crossings would be gone by then, a range of suburban rail extensions and big road projects, the West Gate tunnel, City-Tulla widening, the Monash upgrade, all of our infrastructure program”.

Why are we only well placed to have a crack at an event like this once those metropolitan projects are finished?

It would have been nice to hear him say, something along the lines of, “I believe in regional Victoria and by taking an event like this out of the big cities, it could breathe new life into our state and open the Commonwealth Games up to a whole new audience”.

Understandably, Albury is keen to get in on the action, too. Whether or not Kevin Mack and his team can secure an official piece of the action remains to be seen but, even if they can’t, the NSW side of the border is sure to feel the economic benefits.

Visitors will flock from all over North East Victoria and the southern Riverina to watch top-level tennis and sailing on their patch, meaning businesses in Albury and Mulwala can cash in.

It might have once seemed fanciful to think the Commonwealth Games could be held outside a major city but as Jackson has shown us, anything is possible if you dare to dream. Game on.