Pontefract coach turns grassroots passion into game-changing football app
A new app built specifically for grassroots football has been developed by a 23-year-old football obsessive and experienced coach from Pontefract.
Luke Devine created The Grassroots Coach – a coaching platform that provides personalised session plans and practical support tailored to individual coaches.
The app’s filtering system allows coaches to build sessions around their age group, player numbers, coaches, available space and equipment – providing relevant support without hours of planning.
The Leeds Beckett University graduate, who coaches at academy level in the Premier League, has made huge personal and professional sacrifices to develop the app and is now determined to realise its potential and fill a gap in accessible training support.
“I joined Ackworth Juniors when I was five years old,” said Luke, who is now the club’s secretary. “My dad was the coach and, as a family, our whole lives revolved around football.
"Dad put the extra mile in to make sure kids who struggled to get to practice had the support they needed to stay involved. He was – and still is – my role model for what a calm, inclusive and capable coach looks like.”
Luke started coaching at the age of 15 at a kickabout club for four to six-year-olds, set up to introduce young children to football. He then formed an under 7s team from that group and stayed with the same players – coaching them through to 2025. During that time, he guided the Ackworth team to national finals and a tournament win in Belgium.
He joined the coaching staff at Wakefield AFC in 2021 before taking the step up from grassroots football with York City FC the following year. While completing his sports coaching degree, Luke also coached at Bradford City’s development centre.
Now coaching with a Premier League club, Luke also works at Football Escapes – delivering children’s training sessions alongside legendary players at world class resorts. These experiences have all shaped the app and its contents.
“Thousands of volunteers give up their time every week because they want to do a great job for their own kids and the players they coach,” explained Luke.
“They’re not necessarily full-time coaches and sometimes they just want a bit of help to deliver good sessions and develop their players. They’ve already got so much else to think about – organising games, finding referees, sorting training venues, dealing with parents and managing players.
"If we can take some of the pressure off them on the coaching side, save them time and make planning less stressful, that’s what we want The Grassroots Coach to do.”
Already a successful entrepreneur, Luke launched his first business at just 21. His team of 12 coaches deliver extra training sessions for grassroots players, with around 200 players currently in the system – including several who have gone on to sign for clubs.
The Grassroots Coach app is his latest innovation, prompted by the question: What does junior football need?
“The challenge I wanted to crack was how to tailor the sessions and drills to the specific circumstances of each coach,” explained Luke, who holds a UEFA B licence.
“That filter is what makes The Grassroots Coach different from anything else on the market. I have spent the last 18 months onboarding investors, finding a designer and travelling out to Poland to meet the developer. I’ve turned down job offers and made a lot of personal sacrifices to get this app off the ground, but we genuinely believe this is a real-life problem in grassroots football that we’re going to solve.”
Several of the children featured in the app’s video demonstrations are players from Ackworth Juniors – bringing Luke’s journey full circle.
“As coaches, we do it for the players at the end of the day; they’re at the heart of every session,” he added. “They’re the reason that grassroots football exists and why so many people dedicate their time to the game.
"If we can help them enjoy their football, improve and keep them wanting to come back every week, then we’re doing what matters. That’s what makes grassroots football so special, and we just want to help coaches create that experience.”
The Grassroots Coach is free to download on Apple and Android devices. Users receive five free unlocks, including access to three personalised sessions and two practical coaching resources.
Coaches can upgrade to Premium for £2.99 per month, giving them unlimited access to the platform’s personalised sessions and practical coaching resources. Subscriptions are rolling and can be cancelled at any time.