Uniforms turning young girls off playing sport

Having to wear men’s cut and unisex uniforms is a factor in driving girls away from wanting to play sport, a new study suggests.

One in two girls drop out of sport before the age of 15, and unsuitable or poorly-fitted uniforms could be a deciding factor.

So community clubs are now eligible for more than $150,000 worth of grants to fund new female uniforms, after a Cadbury donation to Women Sport Australia.

Mum Amanda Jellis said her daughter Emily, 12, loves sport – undertaking football, netball, swimming and athletics – and it was important to encourage other young women.

“We need to ensure more girls continue in sport as they hit their teenage years,” she said.

But Cadbury Women In Sport ambassador and Matildas defender Alanna Kennedy said growing up, her uniforms didn’t always fit properly.

“I remember looking forward to getting new training gear for the season and being so disappointed when opening the bag to find it was all men’s cut – long shorts and shirts that sat tight or clumped up around the hips,” she said.

Girls can also be deterred from playing sport by white shorts or uniforms they feel are too revealing, short or tight, research has revealed.

Unsuitable or poorly-fitted uniforms could be a deciding factor for girls in deciding whether to continue playing sport. Picture: Ian Currie

Victoria University professor and Susan Alberti Women in Sport Chair Clare Hanlon said her study showed the majority of girls preferred shorts over skirts and T-shirts over singlets when exercising.

But she told the Herald Sun the solution wasn’t to make a “one-size fits all” uniform — because one doesn’t exist — and instead give girls choice.

“If we want to encourage girls to play sport we need them to feel comfortable before they even go out and play,” she said.

“They want options.”

Her survey of 747 girls found more than 60 per cent wanted custom female uniforms, as opposed to ‘unisex’ clothing, with one respondent saying she was “so sick of having to wear ‘unisex’ sports shorts that we all know are designed for boys”.

Another said her uniform’s short skirt “makes her feel self conscious when jumping and moving”.

The uniform issue adds to other barriers to female sport already identified.

Last year a Suncorp survey of more than 1000 Australian teenage girls revealed 60 per cent said ‘nothing could be done’ to make them look forward to team sport post-pandemic.

Cadbury’s Women In Sport initiative hopes their uniform grants of up to $5,000 can change this.

Applications for Get in the Game grants are now open and will close on December 10.