Women's club football player Kelli Brown may be playing professional football in New Zealand's capital, but she hasn't forgotten her roots.
The 21-year-old Women's A-League forward hails from the small Waikato village of Ngāhinapōuri, about 16km south of Hamilton.
As well as Kelli, the rural primary school there has boastedthe likes of Tokyo 2020 Olympian track cyclist Jessie Hodges, Beijing 2022 Winter Olympian freeskier Chloe McMillan, Black Sticks New Zealand hockey player Zac Woods and acclaimed Michelin star chef Josh Emett.
"It makes me super-proud to be from Ngāhinapōuri, especially with all the support I have received from the people there," says Kelli.
"It's such a cool place and it's where my football story began so I think it's cool to show that no matter how big or small the place you live, it is always possible to achieve your goals if you keep working."
Kelli has played football since preschool, and to play professionally has always been her dream.
"To be able to play in the first-ever professional women's team in New Zealand is pretty ultimate!" she says.
"I'm extremely humbled to be a part of the team and I hope I can help inspire younger players back home to keep pushing to reach their goals too."
After leaving Ngāhinapōuri School, Kelli attended Hamilton Girls' High School, playing football for the school and for several Hamilton clubs.
Kelli Brown (left) and Ayla Pratt of New Zealand celebrate after winning the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Uruguay 2018 third place match against Canada. Photo / Getty Images
Kelli made her way up the representative ladder, playing for WaiBOP Football (Waikato/Bay of Plenty), New Zealand Secondary School Girls Football, New Zealand Women's Under-17 Football (the Young Football Ferns), New Zealand Women's Under-20 Football (Junior Football Ferns) and of course the Wellington Phoenix Women's side.
The Phoenix Women's side was founded in September in a bid to be considered under the W-League expansion.
In October, Gemma Lewis was appointed the inaugural head coach assisted by Natalie Lawrence - one of two all-female coaching combinations in the A-League Women's competition.
"I got a phone call from Gemma and Nat while I was in a uni lecture on Zoom, so I was pretty happy to answer the call instead. Basically, they just said they would love me to be a part of the team and what not, which I was stoked to hear!" says Kelli.
"It was one of the most surreal feelings, that a childhood dream was coming true, like it was actually crazy. I told my parents straight away and to see them so happy made me feel like I'd done them proud, which was one of the best parts of it all."
To date, the Phoenix have played 13 games with one left in the season.
"Personally, I've only played five due to injuries [missed the first two from an ankle injury and six from concussion] but I'm hoping to be a part of the last game," she says.
On February 11, the Phoenix won their first game in history, 3-0 against Canberra United and followed that up on Tuesday night with a 3-2 victory over Western Sydney Wanderers in Kelli's returning match.
Kelli also featured against Sydney twice (December 19 and 30), Newcastle (December 27) and Melbourne City (January 9).
She says becoming a professional football player in the first New Zealand women's A-League side is the highlight of her career so far, as well as winning a bronze medal at the 2018 Fifa U-17 Women's World Cup.
Kelli Brown of the 2018 WaiBOP National Women Football League team. Photo / Photosport
"I want to play for the [Football] Ferns and be a part of the 2023 Fifa Women's World Cup squad, especially since it is being played on home ground," says Kelli.
"I also want to push myself to go further being a professional player to get some bigger and better contracts in higher leagues.
"I've always loved sport and my family are super-active too. Growing up I played a lot of different sports, but football was the one I was most successful with, so I stuck with it."
Older sister Sam remembers when Kelli started out on the pitch and has watched her blossom.
"Kelli started football at the age of 4 and she decided that she was going to represent New Zealand, and now she is doing something that she loves," says Sam.
