The Game Of Netball Is Evolving

In November 2022, Netball Australia announced new inclusive uniform policies to encourage more people to play the sport. These updated guidelines allow players to have more choice in what they wear on the court. This is a fantastic step forward to accommodate everyone who has an interest in playing netball, regardless of their individual preferences, culture or religion.

This new policy also recognizes a changing preference amongst current netball players. A survey by Netball NSW found 85 percent of players preferred not to wear a dress on the court. In the past 12 months, KPI Sports has seen a rapid increase in the number of netball clubs and associations introducing inclusive playing uniforms. The changes partly reflect more boys and men playing netball, but also what female players want to wear.

What does this mean for your club?

The new policy from Netball Australia means that players have the option to compete in a singlet, short or long-sleeved shirt, skirt, skort, shorts and long pants as well as a dress. While this is a great initiative for players, it can add complexity for clubs managing uniform orders and stock levels. 

Because the vast majority of netball club uniforms are fully customized, we recommend your club carefully considers exactly what inclusive items you introduce and beginning with progressive introductions. Growing your uniform range can increase cost and complexity. From our experience, it is best to start cautiously and gauge interest from players before committing to large quantities of new products. 

Where to start

Following the Netball Australia policy, there are multiple uniform options clubs can consider:

• Dress
• Singlet
• Short or Long-Sleeve Shirt
•  Shorts
•  Skirt or Skort
• Polo Shirt
• Short or Long Tights

If your club has the budget and player numbers to justify introducing all these items, that is fantastic. For clubs who want to start more gradually, we suggest following these steps:

•  Select one style of top and one styles of bottoms to add to your range. For example, offer either a singlet or t-shirt for a top and shorts for bottoms. All these products come in ladies and men’s sizes and are fully customized.
•  Seek feedback on an extra item, like a skirt or skort or long tights. Be careful not to offer too many options.
•  When considering which styles are best for your club, first seek feedback from committee members. This is important in taking on board the history and culture of the club. Get feedback from your players as they are the one’s wearing the uniforms. A Survey Monkey online survey is a great way to get broad feedback. Alternatively, choose one representative from each age group to provide their thoughts.  
•  Once the uniform is finalised, offer it as a pre-order item only so you don’t end up holding excess stock.
• Talk to us! We’ve worked with many netball clubs introducing an inclusive uniform range and can help you create a plan that works best for your club. 

Contact the KPI Sports team to learn more and begin designing your inclusive netball uniform.