On 10 December 2024, grassroots sport organisations from around Europe joined DigiFit’s groundbreaking webinar, “Empowering Grassroots Sport: Navigating Digital Transformation”. This 90-minute session attracted over 330 registrants eager to explore how digital tools can revolutionise grassroots sport. Through dynamic discussions, real-life success stories, and actionable strategies, the webinar set a powerful agenda for embracing the digital era.

The Growing Importance of Digital Transformation

Grassroots sports organisations are facing mounting challenges in an increasingly digital world. Limited resources, lack of funding, and workforce shortages often make it difficult to adapt to new technologies. Yet, the potential benefits of digitalisation are undeniable, from enhancing operational efficiency to fostering greater community impact. DigiFit’s webinar aimed to bridge this gap by equipping organisations with practical insights and tools to confidently embark on their digital transformation journey.

Insights and Highlights from the Webinar

One of the most compelling segments of the webinar was the presentation of a comprehensive survey conducted across 355 sports clubs in five countries. Jakob Breddam, from DGI, a DigiFit partner from Denmark, shared key findings that painted a vivid picture of digital readiness within grassroots sports. Despite the growing need for digital strategies, only 11% of clubs had a digital plan, while over half didn’t consider it a necessity. Jakob emphasised that priority areas for development included member servicing, infrastructure management, and leveraging sports gadgets. While direct funding isn’t a solution DigiFit provides, the project focuses on empowering clubs to build capacity and innovate.

Carole Ponchon, from ISCA, the Digifit led organisation, then discussed the potential of the project, noting the diverse range of organizations and solution providers involved. She highlighted the interest in digitalization from various sectors and the challenges faced by the teams, such as lack of time and uncertainty.

Fiona Chambers and Sinead Moynihan, from UCC, a DigiFit partner from Ireland, introduced the 12-month journey of the innovation project, emphasizing its iterative nature and the importance of human-centered design. They shared the methodology followed as part of the incubation process and highlighted the support system provided and practical tools offered to further develop the innovative mind-set of the grassroots sport organisations.

Real-life success stories further enriched the webinar. Two pilot teams highlighted their journeys through digital transformation:

• William Harmon and Derek Comerford, from Firies Club in Ireland, introduced their innovative coaching platform designed to align training with club values while offering tools for collaboration and skill development. Video tutorials, especially for younger athletes, were a standout feature, demonstrating how technology can enhance engagement and learning.
• Ketlin Suvi, from Firmasport in Estonia shared their experiences collaborating with the Nova Sport app. While they faced challenges due to its limitations, they realised the value of developing custom digital solutions to meet specific organisational needs.
• Melfin Franco, from Amager Boxing Club in Denmark together with Morten Norsten from Motivu discussed their efforts to integrate platforms such as Motivu and Hotspot. Their story underscored the importance of stakeholder alignment and adaptability in overcoming integration challenges.

These case studies exemplified the resilience and creativity required to navigate the complexities of digitalisation.

Another highlight was the presentation by Lucy Mills, a mentor within the DigiFit project who emphasised the human aspect of digital transformation. She highlighted the importance of aligning digital efforts with an organisation’s core mission, investing in workforce training, and fostering a culture of inclusivity and innovation. Her insights reminded participants that technology is merely a tool—people are the real drivers of change.

A New Resource: The DigiFit Online Learning Tool

The webinar also marked the debut of the DigiFit online learning tool—a free, comprehensive resource aimed at guiding organisations through the intricacies of digital transformation. This tool provides step-by-step strategies for building a robust digital framework, managing change effectively, and engaging stakeholders to ensure successful implementation. Participants were invited to explore the tool and share their feedback to refine its content.

What Comes Next for DigiFit?

The webinar is just the beginning of DigiFit’s journey to empower grassroots sports organisations. Key next steps include:

• The official launch of the DigiFit online learning tool next week, offering practical guidance tailored to the needs of grassroots organisations.
• Gathering feedback from participants to improve the tool’s functionality and relevance.
• Continuing to support pilot teams as they document their successes and challenges, creating a roadmap for other organisations to follow.
• Encouraging the DigiFit community to share their stories, fostering a network of collaboration and innovation.

Be Part of the Movement

For those who couldn’t attend, the full webinar is available on YouTube:

It’s an invaluable resource for anyone committed to strengthening grassroots sports through digital transformation.

Digital transformation is about more than adopting new technologies—it’s about empowering people, enhancing processes, and unlocking new possibilities. Grassroots sports organisations now have the opportunity to redefine their futures, and DigiFit is here to guide them every step of the way.

Find out more about the project: https://digifit.isca.org/ 

Project partners: ISCA – International Sport and Culture Association (lead coordinator), IDPJ – Portuguese Institute of Sport and Youth (Portugal), UCC – University College of Cork (Ireland), DGI Impact (Denmark), PRN SI – National Sport Innovations Resource Center (France), EPSI – European Platform on Sport Innovation, Belgium).

The DigiFit project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.