The Boot Swap Scheme That Could Save Irish Families Real Money This Season

There’s a particular kind of guilt that settles in around September. The football registration email arrives, the boots from last season are two sizes too small, and somewhere in the back of the wardrobe there are three perfectly fine pairs that were outgrown before they were even properly broken in. Sound familiar?

New research from Aviva Ireland has confirmed what most parents already know in their bones: the cost of keeping kids in sport is genuinely hard going. Eight in ten parents (80%) say that the cost of their children’s sports and activities puts financial pressure on the household, with nearly a third describing it as a major source of stress. More than half — 51% — have decided not to enrol a child in a sport or activity at all because of the cost, and nearly one in five have considered pulling a child out of a sport they already love.

Club membership fees, kit, boots and travel all stack up faster than most of us anticipate when we’re cheerfully signing the first registration form. Football, for all that it’s woven into the fabric of communities across Ireland, isn’t immune to any of this.

Enter ReBoot with Aviva

Aviva, in partnership with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI), has launched ReBoot with Aviva — a free community initiative built around one fairly brilliant idea: instead of letting perfectly good football boots gather dust under the stairs, donate them so another child can use them.

The same research found that 77% of parents have at least one usable pair of children’s sports boots sitting unused at home, and more than half have two or more pairs. Given that nearly eight in ten parents bought two or more pairs of football boots in the past twelve months alone — children’s feet being the relentless growing machines that they are — there’s clearly no shortage of boots looking for a second life.

Jennifer Zamparelli

Supporting the campaign is broadcaster and mum of two Jennifer Zamparelli, who knows the cycle all too well. “As a mum, I know how quickly football boots can become too small,” she said. “My children both play sport, and my son is mad about football, so I’ve seen first-hand how those costs can add up as children grow. What I love about ReBoot with Aviva is that it’s such a simple idea. So many families have football boots at home that are still in great condition and could help another child keep playing the sport they love.”

How it works

The scheme is open to schools and football clubs, and the process is refreshingly straightforward. Here’s what’s involved:

Register or nominate: Schools and football clubs can register directly to take part. If your child’s club or school isn’t signed up yet, you can nominate them through the website.
Receive a ReBoot Pack: Registered schools and clubs get a pack containing two ReBoot boxes along with materials to help spread the word locally.
Appoint a Champion: Each club or school is encouraged to appoint a ReBoot Champion to keep things ticking over — coordinating donations and making sure families know the box is there.
Donate clean, usable boots: Families drop outgrown but still-wearable boots into the box at their club or school.
Find a pair: Any family involved with the club or school can check the box and take a pair in the right size, free of charge.
Prize draw: Participating clubs and schools are entered into a draw for prizes including a €1,000 cash donation, match tickets, a mascot experience at a Republic of Ireland men’s senior home fixture and an exclusive Aviva Stadium tour.

Caroline Cummins, Sponsorship Manager at Aviva Ireland, put it simply: “It’s a simple idea that can make a real difference. Many families have football boots at home that their children have outgrown but are still in great condition and could help another child keep playing.”

Why it matters beyond the budget

There’s a sustainability angle here too. The initiative ties into the FAI’s wider sustainability strategy and its work with MyWaste to promote circularity across football clubs. Boots that would otherwise end up in landfill stay in use. Children who might otherwise be sidelined by the cost of a new pair get to stay on the pitch. It’s not complicated — it’s just common sense done properly.

The research was conducted among 750 parents and guardians of children aged four to seventeen across Ireland, and the picture it paints is one most of us will recognise. Sport matters enormously to children’s confidence, fitness and sense of belonging in their community. The cost of it shouldn’t be what stands in the way.

Clubs and schools can register at aviva.ie/reboot. If your child’s club isn’t signed up yet, you can nominate them through the same page. Those boots under the stairs deserve a better fate than the back of a wardrobe — and another kid deserves a chance to play.