In 2023/24, Lincolnshire FA launched the We Are The One podcast, a groundbreaking initiative designed to recognise and celebrate the incredible volunteers who power grassroots football across the county.

Aiming to build stronger connections within the football community, this project provided a platform for volunteers to share their stories, highlight their achievements, and offer insight into the challenges they face. Through this innovative approach, Lincolnshire FA is not only shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes of football but also reinforcing the importance of creating positive club cultures for future generations.

The project has been shortlisted in the Brand Engagement category at the 2024 County FA Recognition Awards, with the winner being revealed in a ceremony at Wembley Stadium on Thursday 7th November 2024. 

Context

In 2023/24, Lincolnshire FA launched the We Are The One podcast as part of a broader effort to engage with volunteers, enhance communication, and recognise the invaluable contributions of grassroots football stakeholders. This initiative was born from the need to address challenges such as volunteer retention, the lack of recognition, and the desire to create a space for volunteers to share their experiences and insights.

As part of Lincolnshire FA's new strategy, we aimed to build upon the success of the Engage Lincolnshire project and continue to elevate our brand by creating innovative ways for volunteers to connect with our organisation. The volunteers in our football communities often work tirelessly behind the scenes with little recognition, giving up their time, energy, and even money to ensure that football can thrive in Lincolnshire. Recognising their efforts and giving them a platform to share their stories became a vital part of this initiative.

We also wanted to address a growing issue: volunteers leaving the game and the difficulties in recruiting new ones. By harnessing the power of digital platforms and social media, we sought to highlight the incredible stories of the people who make football possible in our communities.

Insight & Data

To truly understand what our volunteers wanted, we conducted a strategy consultation survey to gather insights directly from them. The responses revealed a strong desire for more support, recognition, and insight into the roles they take on.

Many volunteers expressed feelings of being undervalued, with 50% stating they only “sometimes” felt supported by Lincolnshire FA, and 28% saying they didn’t feel supported at all.

When we explored how stakeholders interacted with digital content, we found that while 51% of our audience already listened to podcasts, 49% did not. However, 86% were open to the idea of listening to a grassroots football podcast focused on their local community, especially when it featured stories of individual success and challenges. This feedback directly informed the format and structure of the podcast, with episodes dedicated to highlighting different volunteer roles across the football landscape.

Action

With a clear understanding of our stakeholders' needs, we set out to create a podcast that resonated with the grassroots football community. Inspired by the format of popular podcasts like The Diary of a CEO, we decided on an intimate, conversation-driven approach. The We Are The One podcast was designed to provide volunteers with a platform to share their stories, challenges, and successes while helping others in the community learn from their experiences.

To produce the podcast, we partnered with the University of Lincoln, offering a work placement opportunity for a Media student, Katie, who took on the responsibility of filming, editing, and preparing the episodes for release. This not only benefited Katie by helping her build her portfolio but also created a pathway for her to get involved in grassroots football after her placement.

Each episode, lasting around 30 minutes, was designed to fit within the average commute, ensuring accessibility and convenience for our listeners. We featured volunteers from a wide range of roles, such as coaches, referees, club welfare officers, and groundskeepers, to engage stakeholders from all areas of the game.

Result

The We Are The One podcast has been a resounding success since its launch. With nine episodes published at the time of submission, the podcast has amassed 1,140 streams, averaging 127 streams per episode. Our social media promotion, driven by clips and quotes from the episodes, has generated 82,549 impressions and 13,215 engagements across platforms. Notably, our TikTok clips have garnered 12,300 views and 313 engagements.

Our most popular episode featured managers from Boston Town and Lincoln United Women, reaching 228 streams. Another standout episode with Carole Simpson, Head of Girls Football at Greenbank JFC, achieved 210 streams, and a conversation with highly regarded Match Official Danny Innes garnered 185 streams.

The podcast has not only exceeded our initial target of 100 streams per episode but has also provided a meaningful platform for volunteers to share their stories and experiences. Feedback from listeners has been overwhelmingly positive, with comments like, “Great watch. Not had the pleasure of Danny doing a game of ours yet, but he would be welcome at Gainsborough any time,” and “Thank you so much for having me 💚💚.”

Next Steps

Looking ahead, we aim to build on the success of We Are The One by expanding the podcast to feature more guests and volunteers. We hope to reach 30 episodes within the next year, continue to grow our listener base, and improve the quality of both audio and video content. We also plan to introduce another volunteer co-host to assist with research and question development, providing further opportunities for individuals to gain experience and contribute to the football community.

The scalability of the podcast is one of its greatest strengths. Its low cost, ease of production, and powerful impact make it a model that other County FAs can adopt to celebrate and support their own volunteers. By continuing to shine a light on the unsung heroes of grassroots football, we can foster stronger, more positive club cultures across Lincolnshire and beyond.

Zack Leader, Media, Marketing & Events Officer at Lincolnshire FA, said:“We’re incredibly proud that the We Are The One podcast has made the shortlist for the 2024 County FA Recognition Awards. This project was born out of a desire to give our grassroots volunteers the recognition they truly deserve.

By sharing their stories and celebrating their efforts, we’ve been able to connect our football community in a more meaningful way. Being shortlisted for this award is a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of recognising the vital role volunteers play in making football happen across Lincolnshire.”

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