The sporting code and club I’ve followed most closely over the past two seasons is football — and specifically, Wanaka AFC.

Since the arrival of Ben Sippola in late 2023, via Major League Soccer in the USA and the highly regarded Ole Academy in Porirua, the club has made big strides out of its small community base.

In 2024, Wanaka AFC won promotion to the ten-team Southern League, a major step up. At the time, they were described as a team of “transients, tradies and Central Otago locals.” Right now, they sit 8th out of 10 teams, with five wins and eight losses.

Under the leadership of director of football Ben Sippola and his coaching staff, a cultural shift has taken place; one based in part on the model Sippola experienced at the Ole Academy. It’s a move away from casual, recreational football and towards a culture where players join because they want serious football, not just the lifestyle.

Was this a gamble in a community like Wānaka? Possibly. There are certainly plenty of lifestyle attractions that would draw players to the Upper Clutha, the scenery, the snow, the long summers. But there’s more to the dream now.

Wanaka AFC has become the first Central Otago club to reach this level of the sport, and they’ve done it with purpose.

The 2025 squad includes new players relocating from the USA, Canada, the Wellington Phoenix Academy and regional elite academies. The pull and reputation of the club are being noticed globally, a testament to its rapidly evolving plan and vision.

Football is hugely popular across all age groups in Central Otago, and now, thanks to Wanaka AFC, there’s a clear pathway beyond junior football. Not just in Wanaka, but across the region.

Is this just the beginning of something bigger for this club?

That's my view from the sideline.