Allowing girls and women to choose their sports uniforms could be the key to encouraging their ongoing participation in community sport.
That comes from a landmark study from Victoria University, which looked at how flexible uniform polices and regulations can improve outcomes for girls and women across sports like netball, swimming and cricket.
48 per cent of girls and women in the study said being able to choose their uniforms would encourage their continued participation in sport.
41 per cent said flexible uniform policies make them feel more confident, 34 per cent said it made them happier and 30 per cent said they feel less self-conscious.
Another 28 per cent agreed choosing their own sports uniform provided more freedom, and 20 per cent said it allowed them to perform at their best.
The study was funded through the Victorian government’s Change our Game initiative and follows an initial phase that identified which uniforms made girls more comfortable and confident.
Professor Clare Hanlon, the study’s lead researcher, said it was important to look at the evidence that body image plays a key role in whether girls are physically active, and that physical activity declines for girls once they hit adolescence.
“Findings from these case studies provide evidence on the positive effects flexible sport uniform policies/regulations have to girls and women,” Professor Hanlon said.
“It encourages girls and women to stay in sport and in these cases, increased their enjoyment in swimming or playing cricket or netball. Clearly not one ‘style’ fits all team members or individuals so there is a need for consistent flexible uniform policies/regulations across sport in all Associations – one that is actively promoted and educates and encourages member clubs to embrace.”
Sarah Styles, Director of the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation, said dismantling barriers to participation in sport for women and girls is crucial.
“These findings are clear – providing the freedom of choice for girls in their sports uniforms will help their enjoyment of sport and keep them playing sport,” Styles said.
The first phase of the study found adolescent girls prefer uniforms that are not overexposed, fit well and are not unisex. They also prefer dark coloured bottoms and uniforms made from appropriate materials.
The second phase confirmed that allowing choice in uniforms, for example between shorts, skirts and leggings, can encourage girls and women to stay in community sport for longer.