A staggering 64 percent of girls abandon sports by the age of 16, prompting an uncomfortable question: are ill-fitting kits a contributing factor? For female athletes, the issue extends beyond aesthetics, as poorly fitting kits can exacerbate insecurities, fuel anxiety, and even lead to online abuse. However, change is underway. Athletes' voices are being heard, and manufacturers and governing bodies are adapting to the times.
Inclusive kit choices are being introduced, challenging traditional norms and aiming to reverse the troubling drop-off in female participation. England Netball international Razia Quashie has witnessed the impact of these changes firsthand, both personally and for the next generation. This season, the London Mavericks became the first Super League team to offer a range of kits, providing players with choices beyond the traditional netball dress. The introduction of leggings, varied-length shorts, skorts, and longer vests has been transformative for Quashie, who has won 29 caps for England.
'What's good for me, as one of the bigger girls, is the comfort of knowing I don't have to wear a dress when I don't feel comfortable,' Quashie told Sky Sports. Quashie's teammate Izzi Phillips, just 20 and already one of England's brightest prospects, wants to ensure that young girls are not driven away from sports due to anxieties about their appearance. 'We know that 64 percent of girls drop out of sport by the age of 16, and we want to keep them in for as long as possible and take away any anxieties that come with that,' Phillips said.
The London Mavericks are not alone in their efforts. Loughborough Lightning has also introduced greater kit choice, a move welcomed by the squad. Captain Nat Panagarry emphasized the importance of comfort, saying, 'In netball, there are so many different body shapes. Everyone's different, so to just put a dress on everyone, some people get it and it's so short, some people get it and it's like a tent.' Panagarry's teammate Beth Durant agrees, admitting that tight kits can 'get in my head.' England Netball's 'I Wish I Knew' campaign, launched last September, aims to tackle the female health knowledge gap, breaking down stigmas and empowering girls to ask questions about female health.
For Mavericks' Kira Rothwell, the campaign has been an eye-opener, providing education that young girls need to ensure they do not drop out of sports. With over 120,000 affiliated members and 1.3 million people playing netball in England, the sport is leading the way in driving change.
However, innovation is happening elsewhere too, from female-specific football boots to adjustable sports bras and shorts replacing skorts in hockey. In rugby union, England international Sadia Kabeya is pushing innovation from the ground up, producing a satin-lined scrum cap to protect hair on the playing field. The difference, she says, is total freedom.
'When I have that scrum cap on, I'm completely focused. I don't have to worry about little things that might be in my head,' Kabeya explains. The introduction of inclusive kits and innovative products is crucial in keeping girls in sports, making it easier for them to participate and feel part of a team.