Communities across the country benefit from the presence of grassroots sport clubs in their local area. In the UK, there are approximately 150,000 grassroots sports associations in the most densely populated areas of the capital and the more remote parts of the Welsh Valleys and the Scottish Highlands. These local teams benefit various members of the community, from the youngest players to the oldest volunteers, from the parent coaches to the supportive baby brothers and sisters, and from the friends supporting teammates to the local businesses advertising the next club matches.

As a brand that helps sports clubs fundraise for their team in an ethical and sustainable way, we are passionate about assisting grassroots sport clubs so they can stay open during challenging financial circumstances. In this post, we will discuss a few key reasons why grassroots sports teams are the bedrock of any local community.

Why Does My Team Colours Values Grassroots Sport Teams?

My Team Colours was founded by residents in a small village in the Welsh Valleys. The My Team Colours founders wanted to help local grassroots sports teams fundraise in an easy yet profitable way as they witnessed firsthand how local teams can improve the community and lift morale. Therefore, we developed a sustainable yet profitable solution to help clubs raise much-needed funds to allow clubs to meet their financial goals and remain open to support the community.

Why are Grassroots Sport Teams Important?

Encourage Exercise

Let’s start this list with the most apparent reason grassroots sport squads are so important. The members of the local club participate in regular exercise, which can improve their physical health.

A report by Sport England highlighted that one-third of men and two-thirds of women might be underactive, which can lead to health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes. Therefore, grassroots clubs are essential to encourage young people to participate in sports from a young age so they can build lifelong habits that may improve their physical health and reduce their chances of suffering from the health risks of an inactive lifestyle.

Some people may also argue that the supporters of the teams or family members of participants also partake in more exercise as they will likely walk to games, take part in fundraising events or help others practice their skills in their chosen sport.

Mental Health

The benefits of exercise to one’s physical health may almost seem obvious in the present day. However, we can’t overlook the benefits of exercise to participants' mental health.

In a study published as early as 2004, researchers found that exercise may be an overlooked intervention in mental health services. And with the wave of evidence suggesting exercise helps mental health, grassroots sport clubs are essential for supporting the participants' mental health.

Another study also reported that people’s mental health might have been negatively affected by losing their local grassroots sports during the pandemic, stating that losing this valuable activity caused members' anxiety to increase. In addition, people who lost their grassroots sports teams also reported a lack of self-identity. Therefore, we believe that it would cause significant harm to local communities if they lost their grassroots sport clubs due to a lack of finances.

Provide Opportunities

Community-based sports clubs provide facilities and training to young people regardless of their abilities or backgrounds. Therefore, they should also provide opportunities to people who would struggle to develop these skills without the club.

Additionally, children who participate in sports learn skills directly related to the sport they practise, and they will also learn other transferable skills, such as improved confidence and self-esteem.

Meet People with Different Backgrounds

Grassroots sport clubs often unite people from different backgrounds who may need help finding common ground to build a lasting relationship. Therefore, grassroots sport teams can allow children and parents to mingle with people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities, lifestyles etc.

Uniting over a common interest can encourage individuals to be more open-minded and accepting of others while further strengthening the wider community bonds.

Build Community Assets

Local sports teams, such as your village grassroots football squad, can also care for and fund community playgrounds, football fields, and other recreational spaces.

Although these spaces are primarily there for grassroots sport teams to use for practice and matches, they can also be enjoyed by members of the public when the teams aren’t using them.

These spaces can become essential assets for members of the local community to practice their sports, bond with family members and learn new skills. Therefore, the teams can safeguard these outdoor spaces for public use.

Sense of Community

Of course, we can’t forget to mention the indirect benefits of supporting grassroots sports schemes for the wider community, even to locals who don’t send their kids to practice or use the facilities. Grassroots sport and recreation teams support overall community development and neighbour-to-neighbour support and may even reduce crime.

Reduced Local Crime Rates

Although more research may be needed to confirm the exact relationship between sports in the local communities and crime rates, an article by Louise Hingley has suggested that an increase in sport participation by just 10% could lead to local crime rates dropping by 1%.

This reduction in crime may result from decreased anti-social behavior as young people are given more opportunities or increased community bonds where neighbours have better connections and support each other by notifying each other of previous crimes or suspicious behavior.

Summary

My Team Colours helps local grassroots sport clubs earn valuable finances to support their society by offering an easy solution to producing team merchandise which can earn clubs 20% of the sale price for every order.

Additionally, clubs can trust My Team Colours to use the best sustainable practices when producing the club merch so they can prop up their club’s finances without compromising on the team’s ethics. Please enquire about our personalised merchandise to get started on your local team’s ethical and sustainable fundraising today via our Partner Your Club page.