Does the skort still have a place in hockey?

Hockey must leave the past and move towards a future where the skort doesn’t appear to be the only option, writes LAURA HOWARD

Skorts are still perceived as the only option for the majority of women’s hockey teams. Tess Howard has found that this lack of choice deters women and girls from getting involved in sport, particularly those looking to pick up a stick for the first time. “All we need is choice, genuine choice,” she says.

The England and Great Britain hockey player has researched the impact of gendered school sport uniforms on girls’ participation and enjoyment of sport. Shockingly, she found 3 in 4 women have seen young girls drop out of sport due to sports kit and body image concerns. Howard was instrumental in a change to regulations on playing kit last summer that aimed to enable players to feel more comfortable on-pitch.