As the baby of the family, Memorial’s Indya Dotson has always been competitive.
Her dad Santana Dotson was a force on the famous 1985 Yates State Championship team before going onto to be an All-American at Baylor in 1991 and the 1992 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He had a 10-year career in the NFL and was a member of the Super Bowl XXXI Champion Green Bay Packers.
Oldest sibling Khari Dotson played football at UH, sister Amani Dotson was a thrower for the Baylor track and field team, and Sanaa is a starter for the LSU Tigers volleyball team.
“Sports has always been in our lives and we have always been competitive,” Indya said. “Even though I am the youngest, I always was competing with them to be the best. We are all pretty balanced though, it’s all fun and games.”
Iron sharpens iron inside the Dotson family and it has paid off as the junior advanced to the Regional Meet in five different events – the long jump, triple jump, 200-meters, 400-meters and 4x200 relay. She reached UIL State after winning the long jump at the Regional Meet.
“I didn’t know track was even a sport before junior high… I just played soccer,” the two-year soccer letterman said. “I just went out for track in the seventh grade because everyone else was doing it. I started jumping and found out quickly that I was pretty good at it.
“Now, I want to run in college and see how good I can be. My goal is to get some championships at the college level.”
Since starting track and field, she has been a trophy hunter – earning medals at every level and every event. Where to put all the hardware?
“So, funny story,” she said. “We had this big sister-little sister gift exchange in soccer. I gave my big sis a bear and a blanket and some candy. Well, the bear never made it out of the locker room, so I just used up to put my medals on. Now, it’s a tradition. I get a new bear every year and wrap all of my medals around it.”
Off the oval and pitch, Dotson immerses herself into clubs – from choir, Girls Helping Girls and Mustangs Military Support.
“I also love animals,” she laughed. “I’m going to volunteer at an animal shelter this summer.”
Who knows, she may trade in her stuffed bear for a live animal to wrap her medals with next season.