Skirts, Skorts And Leggings - Why Netball Kits Are Getting A New Look

The netball dress is an iconic sporting azygous - and it's not astir to autumn retired of manner immoderate clip soon.

But its figure-hugging design, often besides very short, is not to everyone's liking - and that includes players from nan apical extremity of nan crippled down to grassroots level.

Which is why a alteration is coming to nan English game, led by London Mavericks, and it is 1 nan Netball Super League (NSL) nine believes will make nan athletics much welcoming to nan young generations that are frightened distant twelvemonth aft twelvemonth by nan deficiency of permitted uniforms that suit their assemblage type.

Dresses are still in, and galore players are expected to still favour them, but besides connected nan kit peg will beryllium options of shorts, skorts (skirts pinch shorts attached underneath), positive leggings and longer vests.

"I ever train successful leggings and that's what I consciousness astir comfortable in, alternatively than nan accepted dress," said Mavericks and England defender Razia Quashie.

"To beryllium capable to deterioration this connected nan tribunal successful a lucifer is thing that I cognize will thief maine consciousness my best, which tin only person a affirmative effect connected performance."

Quashie described nan caller prime arsenic "a awesome way" to support youngsters involved, allowing them to dress successful kit that suits them champion alternatively than an outfit that mightiness beryllium unflattering aliases uncomfortable.

Captain Ellie Rattu agreed, adding: "We want to consciousness bully erstwhile we're playing. The past point you want is to beryllium much focused connected what you're wearing than nan crippled itself, and that tin person a antagonistic effect connected performance.

"Confidence is everything successful athletics and if this is simply a measurement to elevate our capacity arsenic a squad past I americium successful afloat support."

With nan 2026 play opening successful February, different NSL teams could soon travel suit.

Body image matters successful athletics astatine each levels, and it is taken earnestly by NSL players.

Australian Elle McDonald, who near Cardiff-based Dragons astatine nan extremity of past season, said location was a "look good, consciousness good, play good" motto successful nan team.

Manchester Thunder and England prima Amy Carter said of diverseness successful dressing rooms erstwhile she told BBC Sport earlier this year: "You've sewage nan really girly girls that want to do each nan make-up, do nan hairsbreadth and do nan slick-back for nan netball games.

"But past you besides person nan girls that don't want to do that benignant of worldly and mightiness not want to moreover deterioration dresses and want to deterioration much T-shirts and leggings."

The sport's leaders are listening. Mavericks opportunity their changes will "remove barriers to information and raise standards".

Recent investigation by kindness Women successful Sport recovered 64% of girls driblet retired of athletics astatine schoolhouse astatine 16, pinch 1 of nan main reasons recovered being nan kit options unfastened to them.

More than two-thirds of 143 elite British sportswomen who responded to a BBC Sport questionnaire successful 2024 said nan mostly of nan instrumentality they utilized was not specifically designed for a woman.

Hockey's world federation agreed successful 2023 that players connected nan aforesaid squad could deterioration combinations of skirts, shorts and skorts, while England's Lionesses shot squad switched from achromatic to bluish shorts aft players expressed play concerns.

Wimbledon's all-white norm was eased successful 2022 to let women to wear dark-coloured undershorts astatine nan tennis Grand Slam.

In netball, Australia's federation announced a wide scope of kit options for players successful 2022.

Great Britain Olympic lucky subordinate Tess Howard is driving nan Inclusive Sportswear Charter, which is progressive successful nan Mavericks' initiative.

Howard said nan Mavericks are "normalising kit prime and giving schools and clubs nan assurance to follow".

NSL managing head Claire Nelson approves, saying nan determination marks "more than a alteration successful kit".

"It's astir belonging, and ensuring women and girls consciousness safe, seen, and celebrated successful our sport."