Dress Codes for Kōhine: Future of Rangatahi Sport in NZ Research

11 April 2023

There have been changes in recent years allowing more choices for general school uniforms, however, it seems this flexibility has not yet transferred to sports uniforms.

Rangatahi acknowledge that uniforms can play an important role in distinguishing the teams, however, they feel there should be more choice in what they can play in.
Having one uniform style can cause some rangatahi to feel uncomfortable, which can distract them from putting their all into the game, e.g. short skirts that don’t cater to all body types.
Not only can the styles be physically uncomfortable, but they can fear judgement from other teammates or supporters on the sidelines about their appearance.
For young girls, it is hard to ignore when observing how boys’ teams and uniforms are typically more relaxed with a baggy fit, in comparison to their tighter, shorter styles.

"In hockey, we had to have our hair slicked back and always had to wear short skirts. I'm quite tall, so running around the field, instead of focusing on the game, I had to focus on keeping my skirt down. You want to be able to focus and be 100% in the game, but you can't because you're just worried about that," female, 17-18 years.

"I really hate the idea of playing sports in dresses, I have thighs that touch so they give me chaffing. I feel like with volleyball, the girl's tops and bottoms are always really tight and small, but guys are allowed to wear baggy shorts and T-shirts. Girls always seem to have to look good and look made up, even though they're playing sport," female, 17-18 years.

“With uniforms, obviously, you need to be able to distinguish between the two teams, but I'd rather not have something that you have to wear. Teams could pick a colour instead of a set uniform. That's  often what really annoyed me. I've never really understood why netball players wear dresses because dresses are so inconvenient to play sport in," female, 17-18 years.

There are also practical requirements that are impacting on rangatahi participation. You might not be able to change many, or any of these immediately, but they’re good to know about and to keep in mind as your sport evolves in the future:

Playing outdoor sports in all weather was off-putting for some rangatahi, especially when uniform requirements were prioritised over their well-being (getting cold).
Games and trainings being too far to travel to, especially without reliable transport options.
Trainings being too early in the morning before school, then impacting the rest of the day, as well as the night before.
Having to bring too much equipment to the game, or to school beforehand.
Ongoing and increasing fees, including registration and uniform costs