When we think of volunteers in football, most of us picture coaches. They are the face of grassroots football, often your first and sometimes only point of contact with your club. Coaches become the go-to individuals for queries, concerns, and hopefully, your expressions of gratitude.

But coaches are just one part of the bigger picture. Across Leicestershire and Rutland, over 7,000 volunteers are registered on The FA’s Club Portal. Of these, coaches account for 55%, meaning nearly half of all volunteers contribute off the pitch.

These 3,000 off-pitch volunteers fulfil a variety of roles. Some take on long-term responsibilities such as being the dedicated Club Secretary or Welfare Officer. Others provide short-term or ad hoc support, requiring no prior qualifications, DBS checks, or even extensive knowledge of football.

Some roles can be done in your own time, such as sourcing a team sponsor. Others are tied to matchdays, like setting up respect barriers, or to training sessions, such as greeting new parents or distributing information. No matter the task, any contribution that supports your team or club makes you a volunteer.

Introducing the ‘Help Your Coach’ Campaign

Leicestershire and Rutland County FA are proud to launch the ‘Help Your Coach’ campaign. This initiative aims to convert existing members of the grassroots community who are not currently volunteering. The campaign seeks to challenge the misconceptions that you need to know about football to volunteer or that volunteering demands significant time. In reality, just five minutes can make a meaningful difference.

Imagine if every team had just one additional volunteer. That would mean 2,500 more people lightening the load for others in our county!

How Can You Help?

Here are a few simple ways you can contribute:

• Training Sessions: Coaches spend hours preparing sessions. Lighten the load by setting up cones, bibs, and goals before training begins. Every bit helps!

• Matchday: On matchdays, coaches often juggle 10 or more tasks. Show your appreciation by helping set up goals, put out respect barriers, exchange team sheets, or assist with the goalkeeper’s warm-up as a ball collector. Every bit helps!

• Fundraising and Sponsorship: Many clubs rely on additional income streams to operate. Can you spare an hour in the tea bar, support a fundraising event, or help secure a team sponsor? Every bit helps!

• Match Officials: Referees are essential for getting games underway. Can you welcome the referee, provide team sheets, pay fees, or step in as an assistant referee? Every bit helps!

• Preseason: Preseason is often the busiest time of the year for clubs. Assist your coach by collecting players' kit sizes, distributing respect codes, or ordering end-of-season trophies. Every bit helps!

Volunteering is about more than time—it’s about community. Your contribution, no matter how small, can have a huge impact. Join the ‘Help Your Coach’ campaign and help ensure the future of grassroots football thrives.

For further information, contact our Development team via email - Development@leicestershirefa.com