Despite these positive stats and 70% of girls saying they enjoy playing sport, a third (36%)[1] are put off at school because of the limited ill-fitting sportswear available to them. A quarter (25%) of girls today say this sportswear makes them feel self-conscious, while nearly half of women (44%) say they wouldn’t wear kit if it was uncomfortable, not fit for purpose for their time of the month (35%) or if sweat marks show easily (27%).
The fact that so little attention has historically been given to girls’ sports clothing could be affecting the talent pipeline of women in the workplace. With girls dropping out of sports at an early age, they lose all the benefits that sports teach that can then be transferred to the workplace, encouraging more women at senior positions.
Suzy Levy, Author of Mind the Inclusion Gap and Managing Director at The Red Plate says: “The benefits of keeping young girls in sport last well beyond the team or the trophy. Sport develops skills which last a lifetime. Having brands like Maiden, who recognise the positive impact that sports kit purposefully designed for and by women and girls, is important for inclusion.”
In the girls’ cricket world, Honor (16) and Cat (15) Black are tackling the issue. They are fed up with having to wear uncomfortable and ill-fitting cricket clothes made solely for boys when playing their game for the last eight years so came up with Maiden Cricket Clothing which launched in March 2024. Their range aims to empower, inspire and redefine the game for young female cricketers aged eight to 18. The designs are meticulously crafted to girls’ unique needs – both in terms of function and fashion, encouraging them to feel, look and play their best.
Maiden Founder, Honor Black (16) says: “Playing Cricket was all I wanted to do at school, it’s a brilliant strategic game and team sport. It’s so motivating to hear that playing competitive sports puts you in good stead for the future. However, why do girls have to wear ill-fitting kit, feel self-conscious and distracted when really the focus should be on the game and team performance? We created Maiden to show girls that it doesn’t need to be this way; you can look good and play your best in kit that is tailored for girls. We want to encourage more young people into the sport to experience the huge benefits that it brings – creating camaraderie, teaching you resilience, and improving your mental health which is so important for young people today.
“We want to also champion girls’ cricket from when someone discovers the game at school or through their community. If we can build a bigger and stronger community, this will empower current players and others for the future. We have had an overwhelming response since we launched six weeks ago, with over 150 applications for The Maiden Rising Stars Programme, telling us their stories and why they want to be part of the Maiden Mission. Our mission is to make sure girls are seen equal to boys in schools when it comes to PE and Sports – which will then filter through to the workplace. We need to all work together to encourage the next generation of sporting heroes.”Maiden launched in March 2024 and has so far received rave reviews with many saying that a change in girls’ cricket ware hasn’t come soon enough. They have created a Rising Stars partnerships programme, celebrating up and coming cricketing talent in the UK and have received hundreds of applications – showing a real love of the sport. Playing Team Sports At School Helps You Get Ahead In The Workplace - HR News
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