Our netballing friends down under are hoping to boost participation rates in the sport by bringing the kit into the 21st century. The Guardian reports that Netball Australia has agreed to the uniform revamp by Netball NSW, in a move designed to make the sport more accessible and inclusive.
Until recently, participants were expected to wear a netball dress. Under the reforms, players can now choose from a range of T-shirts, long sleeve tops, shorts, singlets, and compression wear. The existing uniform of only dresses was seen as a barrier to encouraging girls to take up the game, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds.
Netball NSW CEO Tain Drinkwater said: “The key aim of this is to make sure we advance our position as a sport for people not just of all cultural backgrounds and gender identities, but all shapes and sizes too. It is clear that rigidity when it comes to clubs only allowing dresses is holding back our participation numbers.”
Meanwhile, England Netball is to hold a webinar in November to discuss the reasons why teenage girls drop out of sport. This was prompted by a study conducted by the Women’s Sport Foundation, which found that girls over 14 stop playing sports at twice the rate of boys.
While there are some obvious reasons around lack of opportunity, cost, and social pressure, there are many other areas which we need to be more supportive and upfront about. The webinar will include a Q & A session with health experts on hand to provide informed answers.
The sessions aim to help teenage girls understand the life changes they are going through and foster a positive environment, where everybody feels comfortable and is able to reach their potential in this fun and life-enhancing sport.
If you are looking for netball camps in Surrey, please get in touch today.