Why Spond Has Become the Go-To Rugby League App for Grassroots Clubs Across the UK
In the rugby heartland of West Yorkshire, community is everything — and nowhere more so than at Ackworth Jaguars Rugby League Club. Founded in 1960, the club has been a cornerstone of the local sporting scene for generations, but in recent years, it’s their thriving Junior Section, launched in November 2020, that has really captured attention.
With five junior teams, 100 young players, and 30 volunteers, Ackworth Jaguars faced the same challenge as countless grassroots clubs: managing communication, scheduling, and payments with limited time and resources. For Chair and Coach Martyn Dickinson, the answer came in the form of a single platform — Spond, the rugby league app that brings it all together.
“As volunteers, we need things to be simple to save our time — and Spond does that,” Martyn says. “It’s absolutely fantastic and makes everything so much easier. We’ve moved to Spond payments and subscriptions because it helps us see exactly what we have, who’s paid, and what’s outstanding.”
Building a Junior Section from the Ground Up
When Martyn helped to form the Juniors in 2020, one of his first decisions was to implement Spond. “My boys’ football club was already using it,” he explains, “and when I was asked to start the junior section here, it was the first thing I put in place.”
That decision has shaped the way Ackworth Jaguars operates today. Using the rugby league app across both its Spond App and Spond Club platforms, the club now manages everything from event scheduling and availability tracking to payments and website updates.
“It keeps everyone up to date within the club,” Martyn says. “Parents know exactly where they’re meant to be, and it automatically adds events to their calendars. Communication is key — that’s why we started using Spond — but once we saw how easy the payment side was, we moved to that too.”
Saving Time and Strengthening Communication
Running a busy grassroots club means every minute counts, and Martyn estimates that Spond now saves Ackworth Jaguars around five hours of admin time each month. More importantly, it’s transformed how coaches and volunteers communicate.
“Knowing who has seen the event requests, who has responded, and who’s accepted is huge,” Martyn explains. “There’s nothing worse than wondering if someone’s even seen a message. With Spond, we can check instantly and reach out personally if needed.”
That level of transparency has improved attendance, accountability, and overall engagement across every age group. For parents, the rugby league app offers clarity and confidence; for volunteers, it’s a genuine relief.
“It helps in so many ways,” Martyn adds. “We can focus on rugby instead of chasing admin.”
Payments Made Simple
As with many grassroots clubs, managing subscriptions and membership fees used to be one of the biggest challenges. Volunteers often relied on spreadsheets or paper forms to keep track of who had paid. Now, all that has changed.
By adopting integrated payments and subscriptions in Spond’s rugby league app, Ackworth Jaguars can automatically track income, manage payments securely, and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.
“It’s 99% there,” Martyn says with a grin. “We just need a few little extras to make it perfect, but even now, it’s made a massive difference. We know where we stand financially at any given time.”
The ease of use is what sets Spond apart as a rugby league app, particularly for clubs run by volunteers. It gives organisers visibility, parents simplicity, and players the structure they need to stay engaged.
The Right Rugby League App
Ackworth Jaguars’ experience mirrors that of many community sports clubs turning to digital tools to lighten their admin load. With the Spond platform handling everything from communication to payments, the club has built a culture of organisation and transparency that matches its ambition on the pitch.
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