How can digital tools help with supporting grassroots coaches?

Digital tools help with supporting grassroots coaches by reducing admin, improving visibility, and creating structured communication that allows coaches to focus on delivering sessions rather than managing logistics.

What practical steps help with supporting grassroots coaches in community sport?

Practical steps for supporting grassroots coaches include centralising communication, setting consistent expectations, clarifying decision-making processes, and ensuring support is easy to access.

How does club culture affect supporting grassroots coaches?

Club culture plays a major role in supporting grassroots coaches by shaping how valued, protected, and confident individuals feel within their role and the wider club environment.

Why is coach retention a growing issue in grassroots sport?

Many coaches step away due to time pressures, unclear expectations, and fragmented communication rather than a lack of passion for sport, making retention a structural challenge rather than a motivational one.

What does supporting coaches look like at grassroots level?

At grassroots level, supporting coaches means providing clear communication, defined roles, visible safeguarding structures, and practical systems that reduce unnecessary pressure on volunteers.

How does Spond help with organising grassroots sport?

Spond brings scheduling, communication and availability into one place, making it easier for clubs to manage training, matches and volunteers. This reduces admin, improves clarity and supports organising grassroots sport more efficiently.

How can better organisation help clubs deal with facility shortages?

Clear scheduling, attendance tracking and communication help clubs maximise the use of available space. Good organisation reduces confusion, avoids wasted sessions, and helps keep players and volunteers engaged even when facilities are under pressure.

What challenges do grassroots coaches face when facilities are limited?

Coaches must constantly adapt training plans, manage fluctuating attendance, and communicate changes at short notice. Limited space also makes it harder to run inclusive sessions or accommodate growing teams.

How does pressure on facilities affect grassroots clubs?

Reduced or uncertain access to facilities leads to tighter schedules, more cancellations, and increased admin for volunteers. This makes organising grassroots sport more time-consuming and increases the risk of volunteer burnout.

Why are local facilities so important for grassroots sport?

Local facilities are essential because they provide safe, accessible spaces where people can take part in regular physical activity, build routines, and form social connections. Without nearby pitches, courts or training areas, participation drops and clubs struggle to sustain teams.

How can Spond support grassroots cricket clubs beyond funding?

Spond supports grassroots cricket clubs by bringing team management, communication, payments, events, and safeguarding into one simple platform, helping clubs run more efficiently and professionally without increasing costs or complexity.

Why should grassroots cricket clubs review their organisational tools now?

With greater scrutiny on funding and accountability, now is an ideal time for grassroots cricket clubs to review their organisational tools, reduce admin pressure on volunteers, improve communication, and ensure they are well positioned for future funding and growth opportunities.

Why is government funding uncertainty a concern for grassroots cricket clubs?

Uncertainty around government funding makes it harder for grassroots cricket clubs to plan long-term facility improvements, grow participation, and retain volunteers, increasing the importance of strong internal organisation and sustainable day-to-day operations.

How does ECB funding help grassroots cricket clubs?

The England and Wales Cricket Board uses public and lottery funding to support grassroots cricket clubs through facility grants, pitch improvement initiatives, participation programmes, and investment in junior and community cricket, often delivered via county networks and linked to clear governance standards.

What support is currently available for grassroots cricket clubs in the UK?

Grassroots cricket clubs can access support primarily through Sport England investment, National Lottery funding, and long-term funding allocated to the England and Wales Cricket Board for community cricket programmes, alongside wider government-backed facilities schemes such as the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.

Are there costs involved with using Spond for sports club payments?

There are small transaction fees associated with using Spond for sports club payments, but these are typically outweighed by the time saved and stress reduced. For most clubs, the real value comes from fewer admin hours, clearer records, improved cashflow visibility and a better experience for volunteers who would otherwise be managing payments manually.

How does Spond improve sports club payments?

Spond simplifies sports club payments by linking them directly to teams, events and memberships in one system. Parents and players can clearly see what they owe and what they have paid, while clubs benefit from automatic tracking and fewer manual processes. This reduces the need for spreadsheets, removes awkward chasing, and gives volunteers confidence that payments are being handled accurately.

What problems do traditional sports club payments cause?

Traditional sports club payments often rely on a mix of bank transfers, cash and spreadsheets, which creates confusion and extra admin. Payments arrive without clear references, records need constant updating, and volunteers spend time chasing money rather than supporting teams. Over time, this increases the risk of errors, delays and frustration for both families and club organisers.

Can sports club payments be changed mid-season?

Yes, sports club payments can be reviewed and improved mid-season without disrupting day-to-day activity. In fact, mid-season is often when inefficient systems cause the most stress. Platforms like Spond allow clubs to introduce payments gradually, starting with specific fees such as matches or training, rather than forcing a complete reset, helping stabilise the rest of the season.

Why is New Year a good time to review sports club payments?

New Year is when clubs naturally pause to review what is and is not working, making it easier to introduce improvements without pushback. By January, issues with sports club payments such as missed fees, unclear balances and volunteer overload are usually very visible, which helps committees justify change. It is also a point when parents and players are re-engaged after the festive break, making communication around payment processes clearer and more effective.

How does Spond support a New Year reset for sports clubs?

Spond supports a New Year reset for sports clubs by bringing scheduling, communication, and availability into one platform, making it easier for clubs to establish clear routines from the start of the year.

How can better routines help volunteers?

Clear routines reduce repeated questions, limit last-minute changes, and help volunteers manage their time more sustainably throughout the season.

What routines should sports clubs focus on during a New Year reset?

Clubs should focus on clear scheduling, consistent communication channels, attendance and availability tracking, parent onboarding, and setting realistic boundaries for volunteers.

Why is January a good time for a club reset?

January provides a natural pause after the holiday period, allowing clubs to reset expectations, onboard new families, and improve systems before the busiest parts of the season resume.

What does a New Year reset for sports clubs involve?

A New Year reset for sports clubs involves reviewing routines around communication, scheduling, and availability, then simplifying how a club operates to reduce admin and confusion for volunteers and parents.

How does Spond Club support January sports registration preparation?

Spond Club helps clubs manage registrations, payments on registration, group setup, and parent onboarding in one place, reducing admin and making the January rush easier to handle.

How can collecting payments during registration help clubs?

Collecting payments at the point of registration reduces follow-ups, improves cash flow, gives parents clarity, and saves volunteers significant time chasing outstanding fees.

What problems do clubs face without January sports registration preparation?

Without preparation, clubs often struggle with fragmented forms, unpaid fees, missing information, volunteer overload, and confusion for parents about whether their child is fully registered.

Why is January such a busy time for sports registrations?

January is when families reassess routines after the holidays, children look to start new activities, and clubs open mid-season or spring registrations, creating a concentrated spike in enquiries and admin.

What is January sports registration preparation?

January sports registration preparation is the process of setting up registration forms, payments, group structures, and communication in advance so clubs can manage the January surge in sign-ups smoothly and confidently.

How can clubs communicate effectively during the festive period?

Clubs can communicate clearly by sharing festive messages, thanking volunteers, confirming January plans, and using one central platform like Spond to avoid confusion during a busy time of year.

How have Boxing Day football traditions changed over time?

While Boxing Day once focused on league fixtures, many grassroots clubs now celebrate through activities such as Boxing Day dips, festive walks, charity challenges, or social gatherings instead of matches.

Why do Boxing Day football traditions still matter in grassroots sport?

They reinforce community, belonging, and continuity during the festive period, reminding clubs that football is about shared experience as much as competition.

Do grassroots football teams usually play matches on Boxing Day?

Most grassroots teams do not play on Boxing Day due to family commitments, travel, weather, and volunteer availability, but still mark the day through social traditions that keep teams connected.

What are Boxing Day football traditions?

Boxing Day football traditions refer to the long-standing connection between football and 26 December, historically centred on league matches but now often expressed through social, charitable, and community activities at grassroots level.

How can clubs prepare for the changes expected in UK grassroots sport in 2026?

Clubs can prepare by simplifying communication, protecting volunteer time, improving transparency, and using tools designed specifically for organised sport rather than relying on informal or fragmented systems.

Why are clubs moving away from social media for sports organising?

Social media platforms are increasingly seen as unsuitable for structured communication, safeguarding, and transparency, particularly for youth sport, prompting clubs to separate promotion from official organisation.

How is participation expected to change in UK grassroots sport in 2026?

Participation is expected to grow in junior, social, and flexible formats, while more traditional, time-intensive models may continue to decline or consolidate in some sports and regions.

Why is volunteering such a critical issue for grassroots sport in 2026?

While participation remains relatively strong in many areas, fewer people are willing or able to take on organising roles, making volunteer sustainability one of the biggest risks for clubs moving forward.

What are the main challenges facing UK grassroots sport in 2026?

UK grassroots sport in 2026 is likely to face ongoing pressure around volunteering capacity, rising costs, safeguarding expectations, and the need to balance traditional formats with more flexible participation models.

How does Spond support clubs reflecting on and improving their organisation?

Spond helps clubs bring communication, scheduling, and availability into one transparent system, making it easier to review what is happening, reduce admin, and plan improvements with clarity.

How can clubs use a review of the year in sport to plan for the future?

Clubs can use reflection to reset expectations, improve communication, support volunteers better, and make more realistic plans for finances, fixtures, and participation in the year ahead.

What were the biggest challenges for grassroots sport during 2025?

The biggest challenges included rising costs, volunteer workload, weather disruption, safeguarding responsibilities, and balancing competition with enjoyment, particularly in youth sport.

Why is it useful for grassroots clubs to review the year in sport?

Reviewing the year helps clubs understand what worked, what caused pressure, and where systems or behaviours need to change before heading into the next season or calendar year.

What is meant by a review of the year in sport?

A review of the year in sport looks back at the key trends, pressures, and developments that shaped grassroots sport over a 12-month period, focusing on real-world experience rather than predictions or theory.

How can Spond help clubs improve communication without adding complexity?

Spond brings messaging, scheduling, and availability into one purpose-built platform designed for sport, helping clubs communicate clearly while reducing admin and improving visibility for parents and organisers.

Are messaging apps like WhatsApp enough for managing sports teams?

Messaging apps can work for small groups but often struggle as clubs grow, as they lack structure, role clarity, availability tracking, and the oversight needed for organised sport and junior teams.

How do poor communication tools affect volunteers in grassroots sport?

Volunteers often spend unnecessary time chasing replies, repeating information, or resolving misunderstandings, and over time this admin burden contributes to burnout and makes roles harder to sustain.

Why is the New Year a good time to review club communication systems?

The New Year creates a natural moment for reflection and reset after months of real-world use, allowing clubs to base decisions on experience rather than assumptions and introduce improvements with clearer buy-in.

What does a review of sports communication tools involve for a sports club?

It involves assessing how messages, schedules, updates, and availability are shared across players, parents, coaches, and volunteers, with the aim of reducing confusion, saving time, and improving transparency rather than simply switching platforms.

Why should youth clubs prioritise transparency in youth sports safeguarding when choosing communication tools?

Choosing tools that promote transparency in youth sports safeguarding helps clubs protect children, support coaches, improve accountability and create a safer culture across all activities.

The Most Popular Sport in the UK: Top 10

Young Men Playing the Most Popular Sport in the UK

The United Kingdom has a rich sporting heritage, with a diverse range of sports captivating the hearts of millions. From traditional pastimes to globally celebrated events, the UK’s sporting culture is as varied as it is vibrant. Here, we explore the top 10 most popular sports in the UK, with a focus on why each holds a special place in British hearts.

1. Football

Undoubtedly, football is the most popular sport in the UK. With historic clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool, and Arsenal, and iconic tournaments such as the Premier League and the FA Cup, football reigns supreme. The passion for the game is palpable, from local grassroots matches to international showdowns.

2. Rugby Union

Rugby Union is a close second, particularly in Wales and England. The Six Nations Championship and the Rugby World Cup are major highlights in the sporting calendar, drawing huge audiences and fostering a deep sense of national pride.

3. Cricket

As the birthplace of cricket, the UK has a profound connection with the sport. Iconic venues like Lord’s and The Oval host historic matches, while The Ashes series between England and Australia captures the nation’s attention. County cricket and local leagues also play a vital role in maintaining cricket’s popularity.

4. Tennis

Tennis enjoys immense popularity, especially during the summer when Wimbledon takes center stage. This prestigious Grand Slam event draws spectators from around the world, and British successes like Andy Murray’s triumphs have only heightened interest in the sport.

5. Golf

Golf has a storied history in the UK, with Scotland widely regarded as the home of the sport. Courses like St Andrews and Royal Troon are legendary, and events such as The Open Championship attract the world’s best golfers and passionate fans alike.

6. Athletics

Athletics, or track and field, saw a surge in popularity following the London 2012 Olympics. Events like the London Marathon and the Great North Run also contribute to the sport’s widespread appeal, encouraging participation across all age groups.

7. Boxing

Boxing has long been a beloved sport in the UK, producing numerous world champions and memorable bouts. The British boxing scene is vibrant, with regular events and a dedicated following that spans generations.

8. Horse Racing

Horse racing is often associated with British tradition and prestige. Events such as the Grand National, Royal Ascot, and the Cheltenham Festival are major social and sporting occasions, drawing large crowds and significant media attention.

9. Rugby League

While not as widespread as Rugby Union, Rugby League has a strong following, particularly in the north of England. The Super League and the Challenge Cup are key competitions that showcase the sport’s fast-paced and physical nature.

10. Motorsport

Motorsport, especially Formula 1, enjoys a considerable fan base in the UK. The British Grand Prix at Silverstone is a highlight of the F1 calendar, and the UK has produced numerous successful drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, further fueling interest in the sport.