Sporting Attire
Research shows that girls start to drop out of sport at an alarming rate when they are in the 12 to 14 year age group.
The research shows that poor self-image at a delicate stage of a girl’s transition into adulthood is the main reason causing young girls to abandon their sporting activities.
This poor self-image is only partially due to sporting ability, it is increasingly recognised that wearing short, revealing skirts during puberty may deter some girls from continuing in sport or physical activity.
There are many reasons for this, but central to the issue is a girl’s self-confidence and sense of place in the world. If a girl is not confident about her physical ability, the way she looks, or is upset by taunts from her peers, she is unlikely to want to continue to play sport.
Research has found that approximately 50 per cent of girls did not like the way they looked or were unsure of the way they looked in physical education clothes. These findings could reflect why some girls are reluctant to participate in sport.
Unfortunately there is little or no research on the effect of ensuring that girls are comfortable in their physical education uniform. A small change in the uniform to keep in step with sporty trends or comfort could make the difference for a lot of girls.
Sports need to consider these issues when setting guidelines on uniforms. It is well worth considering whether the uniform reflects the values of the player or the values of the administrator. After all, it is the players who will be wearing them.
