Introducing Hapola - sports kit for girls and women

We are so pleased that the We are Girls in Sport x Little Big Sports store is now able to offer Hapola, a girls’ sportswear brand that started with need but has come to be part of the wave of change in girls’ and women’s sports kit.

Welsh civil servant Sarah is a keen hockey player but after having her two daughters, she felt less confident on the pitch when it came to period leaking. She was also frustrated at the lack of kit choice available, and kit designed specifically for women and girls.

Thinking of her toddler daughters wanting to be active in the future and all those girls playing hockey, netball, football and all the other sports out there today, Sarah and her husband, Luke, set to work to create kit that’s comfortable, practical and stylish.

How Tess Howard inspired Hapola

Fellow hockey player, Team GB’s Tess Howard wrote her university dissertation on women’s and girls’ kit, and that piece of work has led to a huge movement for change called ‘Inclusive Sportswear.’.

Image credit Inclusive Sportswear

Through her research, Howard learnt that a huge number of girls across the UK were put off sport because of kit requirements. Some said they felt sexualised by the kit while others were concerned about looking too masculine or ‘butch.’ Howard discovered that many girls dropped out of sport and exercise as a result. “Most underrated cause of low female sport numbers.”

Many mothers, coaches and teachers could relate to this with memories of awful PE kit at school and in clubs. Howard highlighted something that was suddenly obvious to fans and campaigners, parents and supporters in female sport and, in theory, easy to change.

Girls wanted to be sporty, but they wanted to feel comfortable in what they were wearing. They wanted kit that allowed them to express themselves as well as achieve their sporting potential. They wanted to be in team colours, but they wanted choice.

And that’s what Hapola have set out to achieve. They understand that girls and women want choice in their sports kit but that it also needs to be practical and look great.

What’s in the Hapola range in the We are Girls in Sport pop-up shop?

Demonstrating their commitment to providing choice, the Hapola range that we offer

• shorts

• skorts

Tell me about the colours available for Hapola

The skorts and shorts come in two colour ways:

• navy blue

• navy blue and pink.

What makes Hapola skorts and shorts great?

Importantly, both skorts and shorts

• are designed for the female body. This isn’t men’s kit shrunk down for women and girls.

• have an inner, discreet gusset which can hold up to 20ml of fluid. Basically, they have built-in period pants which means you don’t need to worry about leaks and accidents or being caught short mid-practice or game.

• have a high waistband for added comfort.

• are made from recycled, certified materials and are breathable – they dry quickly!

Hapola teamwear

We are Girls in Sport and Little Big Sports understand the importance of teamwear that works for everybody and every body, as well as your club or school team. Many of the brands we stock in the Little Big Sports girls’ collection are great for teams and Hapola is no different.

We see in the press and on social media that sports teams are starting to provide options around kit and your team can do just the same. Here are some examples of changemakers:

• International Hockey Federation - Tess Howard has campaigned for Team GB women’s hockey team to be able to wear skorts or shorts, and she’s been successful, spreading the message across the international hockey community. Previously, skorts or shorts could be worn but not within the same team.

• London Mavericks netball – Netball Super League team the London Mavericks are ground-breaking in offering a variety of kit options to their squad.

• And the Norway beach volleyball team who were pioneers in challenging their sports kit. Previously they wore bikini bottoms which they challenged by wearing Lycra cycling shorts and were fined for doing so. After a public backlash, the rules were changed and skimpy bottoms are no longer the order of the day.

Think about your team’s kit. Is it really working for the girls and women in your team or at your school? Do you sense some reluctance about the kit?

Tess Howard recently spoke to parliament about ‘Fixing the Kit’, proposing a charter for schools around PE kit. It’s not all about girls. It’s about ensuring that every athlete’s needs are considered and has five main pillars:

• Choice

• Identity

• Collaboration

• Comfort

• Belonging

You can learn more and, if you like, sign up on Howard’s website here.

Hapola embody the Inclusive Sportswear message. Their aims and values align with those of We are Girls in Sport and Little Big Sports: sport is for everyone and we have to work to remove all the barriers to girls being active.

If you’d like to speak to us about Hapola teamwear, or teamwear in general, contact us at hello@wearegirlsinsport.com. We’d love to discuss options with you.