Hi — I'm the person behind Level.
I'm a parent to two children who play grassroots football. I help out by refereeing and now help coach my son's under-8s team. Like every grassroots coach, I know the Sunday-morning juggle: making sure every child gets a fair go, keeping players and parents happy, and never losing sight of the thing that actually matters — helping young footballers develop in a friendly, fun and inclusive environment.
Before this, I spent time as part of the football club's welfare team, where I heard first-hand from parents and coaches just how hard that balance can be. As a former primary school teacher and Designated Safeguarding Lead, putting children's wellbeing and fairness first isn't an afterthought for me — it's the whole point.
Five minutes before kick-off, a text arrives: a parent's child won't make it after all. Under the gazebo, in the rain, I'm re-working the whole line-up on a soggy notepad — trying to keep it fair without losing the shape of the team.
Why Level
It's not only parents and children who feel the frustration — coaches do too. Every week you're holding two things that can pull against each other: giving everyone a fair go, and making sure the game still flows well for the players on the pitch. And fairness was never only about equal minutes — it's about balance. Level looks at playing time and ability together, so every period feels balanced, and every child is challenged at the right level — not miles ahead or out of their depth.
It's the tool I wanted on the touchline: something that takes the maths — and the guilt — out of rotation, so coaches can strike that balance without a spreadsheet, and every kid gets their share of the game. That's the whole mission:
— Keep things level.