For the Wagga City Wanderers, football has always been about more than the game but in 2021, the club took this to the next level. They approached Wellways with a bold vision - to make mental health as much a priority as physical performance. What began with post training BBQs to introduce the concepts of mental health, quickly evolved into a three-year culture shift that placed wellbeing at the heart of the club.
This shift showed up in everyday conversations, in how players, parents, and coaches spoke about mental health and in the pathways the club built to connect members with support. Stigma gave way to openness and wellbeing became part of the language of the Wanderers - embedded into training sessions, team culture, and the way the club defined success. Suicide prevention training equipped players and staff with the confidence to act when someone was struggling, while connection BBQs that provided information and inclusive practices, ensured every young person felt they belonged.
In 2025, this culture was tested. Capital Football announced the Wanderers’ removal from the Capital Premier League - a competition that represents one of the only elite pathways for aspiring young players in the region. For many, it meant the collapse of long-held dreams and years of hard work. The blow left the club reeling, uncertain, frustrated, and grieving what felt like the loss of a future.
Soon after, a traumatic incident at a junior match added to the strain. Instead of retreating, the Wanderers drew on the trust and resilience they had built. Within a week, Wellways facilitated workshops and debriefs, supporting players, parents, and coaches to process anger, fear, and uncertainty. When news came that the juniors would remain in the CPL, relief and hope returned, and the club’s resilience shone through.
The Wanderers’ story demonstrates the power of sport to drive culture change. By prioritising wellbeing, changing language, and embedding real pathways to support, the Wanderers proved that when mental health is valued equally to physical health, communities thrive—on and off the field.
This story epitomises the theme United Voices, Brighter Futures to inspire authentic collaboration, courageous conversations and lasting change"