“Every child deserves the opportunity to enjoy sport in a safe, supportive and informed environment” .
At No1Fan.club, we help families navigate the opportunities, challenges and decisions that come with raising young people in sport. We believe that when parents and carers have access to the right information, children are more likely to enjoy sport, stay involved for longer and fulfil their potential both on and off the pitch.
“We also believe that families are the most influential people in a young person’s sporting journey. When families are informed, supported and confident, children are better protected, better supported and better able to thrive“.
Alongside our work with families, we collaborate with clubs, governing bodies, educational institutions and industry partners to ensure family perspectives and voices are properly reflected in decision-making.
Why It Matters
For many families, football represents far more than a game. It is a source of enjoyment, aspiration, opportunity and hope. Yet families are often expected to navigate increasingly complex decisions with limited guidance or independent support.
We believe families should feel empowered to ask questions, understand their options and make decisions with confidence but there are some areas of the game that can leave families exposed to poor advice, unrealistic promises or decisions made without full understanding. The system does not always create the clarity families need.
Child-Centred Development ❤️
Every young person deserves an environment that prioritises their wellbeing, learning and enjoyment of sport. Success should never come at the expense of childhood.
Informed Families 📚
Knowledge builds confidence. We help parents and carers access information, understand processes and make decisions that are right for their child and family.
Independent Thinking 🤔
Families should never feel pressured to hand over responsibility for important decisions. We encourage parents to ask questions, seek clarity, and remain active participants in their child’s journey.
Financial Awareness 💷
Opportunities in sport can bring financial decisions that many families have never faced before. We believe families should understand the implications of important decisions and feel equipped to seek appropriate advice when needed.
Inclusion and Opportunity 🤲🏽
Every child deserves access to support, regardless background, circumstance or pathway. We are committed to helping remove barriers that can hinder families from accessing information and resources.
Girls’ Football ⚽️
Girls and young women deserve equal access to opportunity, information and support. We actively champion the needs of families within the girls’ game and work to ensure their voices are represented across the sport.
Protecting Dreams 💭
Football creates ambition, excitement and life-changing opportunities for many young people here there is aspiration, there can also be vulnerability. Families are increasingly exposed to offers of trials, scholarships, representation, overseas opportunities and development programmes. While many are legitimate, others can lead to disappointment, financial loss or situations where families have made decisions based on incomplete or misleading information.
How We Work
We combine our lived experience supporting our sons through their journeys to professional football with our professional expertise. We help organisations better understand and support families and make meaningful improvements based on the voices and experience of families.
Education Programmes
We deliver workshops, conferences and learning events designed around the real needs of parents, carers and young people and gather evidence, feedback and lived experiences to help shape better policies, programmes and decision-making.
Advocacy
Families today face increasingly complex decisions around education, sport, wellbeing, finances and future opportunity. These decisions are often made in environments where information is fragmented and support is inconsistent.
We work hard to ensure family voices are present in conversations that influence the way things are done in youth sport. We work collaboratively with stakeholders to improve outcomes for children and the people who support them in football but also in other sports and activities where young people are.
Who We Are
No1Fan.club was founded by two football parents who recognised a clear gap between the support families need and the support they often receive.
Marcia Lewis,
CEO & Founder
Kate Iorpenda,
Director of Programme Development
Marcia spent over 20 years in financial services, as Vice President at Morgan Stanley she led a global technology learning function. She later owned and ran a small retail business, and consulted in learning and development training projects before returning to education, completing an MSc in Football Business. Marcia is currently preparing her research paper for publication on the topic of Parenting In Elite Youth Football.
Marcia is also a FIFA Licensed Football Agent. She is not focused on player representation, but uses her knowledge to help parents better understand the culture around engaging with agents.
Kate brings extensive experience in child rights, safeguarding and adolescent development, working with organisations including UNICEF and Plan International, alongside other international child protection and youth development agencies.
Her work has focused on improving outcomes for children and young people, with a particular emphasis on safeguarding, adolescent health and development and how systems and environments impact children in practice.
Get In Touch
Football’s stakeholders have an important role to play in supporting children and families. Whether you are a governing body, federation, club, academy, educational institution, charity, funder or industry partner, we would welcome the opportunity to work together.