Though invisible, hidden under each woman athlete’s jersey is their most important equipment. The essential article of clothing’s impact is often underappreciated and seldom discussed domestically and underused internationally.
The Sports Bra Project’s mission is to change that.
By providing new sports bras to teams and organizations in countries across the world where women’s opportunities and access to sports are limited, The Sports Bra Project aims to erase the barriers that limit women in sports.
“Sometimes the needs and experiences of female athletes are overlooked, and the sports bra is the perfect example of that,” said Sarah Dwyer-Shick, who founded The Sports Bra Project in 2017.
Dwyer-Shick, a former three-sport athlete at Smith College, has spent her whole life involved in sports. After graduating, she coached soccer, where she began to see the barriers that prevent young women from getting involved in all sports, not just soccer.
The Sports Bra Project is focused on removing these barriers to allow girls to have the invaluable experiences and lessons that come with being involved in sports. The sports bra is the perfect carrier of the movement.
“The two parts of the project are the sports bra itself, which provides access to sports,” said Dwyer-Shick. “The other side of it is the leadership component where young athletes can: host a sports bra drive and take on a leadership role.”
Most of their support comes from sports bra drives, often at athletic events. Attendants are motivated to either donate monetarily or through new sports bras.
A client of North Road Communications (NRC), Marist University’s student-run integrated marketing communications firm, The Sports Bra Project has developed a strong relationship with Marist’s athletic department. On Feb. 15 when the Marist women’s basketball takes on Siena, The Sports Bra Project will be holding a sports bra drive near the entrance of McCann Arena.
The partnership with the Sports Bra Project helps raise awareness for the non-profit organization that empowers young girls.
“Young people in sports become leaders, so any initiative that can help young people, specifically young girls into sports is a wonderful idea,” said Marist women’s basketball head coach Erin Doughty.
Unseen on the uniform, the sports bra is often overlooked. However, it is invaluable to all women in sports.
“I don’t think there’s a single woman out there over the age of 12 who’s gonna take the field in a competitive sport without a sports bra,” said Dwyer-Shick.
The sports bra is necessary for women’s sports yet, it is often not treated the same as other pieces of the uniform, ignored from team-supplied equipment.
“We order cleats, we order shinguards… but the sports bra isn’t always a piece of that,” said Dwyer-Shick.
In their research and work around the world, Dwyer-Shick noted three economic barriers that are present in women’s sports: cultural, logistic and economic.
Culturally in the United States, men may feel taboo and uncomfortable when speaking about bras, even when they are a part of the uniform. Different cultural problems exist regarding women’s breasts in sports settings are seen across the globe in Africa.
“In Namibia, if your chest is bouncing, you’re seen as promiscuous, and if you’re promiscuous, that’s shameful to you and your family,” said Dwyer-Shick.
Sports bras are important in different cultures for different reasons, but share the same goal of ensuring emotional and physical comfort to athletes. The Sports Bra Project has not limited its reach to just women, despite it being only a part of the uniform in women’s sports.
“We love male allies. For a guy to be able to say bra with a straight face is what we expect,” said Dwyer-Shick. “We’re not talking Victoria’s Secret. We’re talking about a piece of equipment.”
In raising awareness regarding the importance of the sports bra to women and women’s sports, The Sports Bra Project aims to make men feel more comfortable talking about them.
As women’s professional and collegiate sports leagues gain popularity, they’ve picked up many male fans along the way who make for the perfect target for The Sports Bra Project’s movement.
To celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Day, the Maine Mariners, a semi-professional hockey team in the ECHL, hosted their third-annual sports bra toss in partnership with The Sports Bra Project on Feb. 8. After their first goal of the game, fans tossed their donations on the ice.
Players and fans alike have bought into the new tradition, an inspiring sign of continuous progress in the mission of equal opportunity in sports, regardless of gender.
“They’ve really embraced it,” said Dwyer-Shick. “Athletes that are growing up together and understanding that you’re playing the same sport and your equipment needs might be slightly different.”
The Sports Bra Project makes its presence felt on the Marist campus thanks to the work of NRC. In the firm, groups of students work with non-profit organizations, providing their clients with public relations-based work – including running social media accounts, creating photo and video content and helping organize events.
The Sports Bra Project has been a client of NRC for the past few years, fostering an effective relationship with Marist University. On campus, the students have focused on expanding the Sports Bra Project’s message and purpose through social media.
“That’s the approach we’re taking right now… being on campus and trying to use the resources that we have to be as successful as possible,” said Natalie Ursich, an account executive for the team.
The students also help plan sports bra drives on campus, which have become a repeated event. This year’s drive marks the third annual one at a Marist women’s basketball game, in addition to other drives with the women’s soccer program and the women’s club rugby team.
This year, the relationship between the Sports Bra Project and Marist Athletics was heightened thanks to Mary Dougherty, an account representative on the NRC team.
Dougherty, a senior on Marist’s track & field team, helped facilitate a series of videos with the track & field team in which members spoke about the importance of sports bras.
In planning for this year’s drive, they worked closer than in years past with associate athletic directors Alyssa Gates and Harrison Baker, and they expect a big turnout.
“This year’s drive will be even better,” said Dwyer-Shick. “We’re connected with so many alumni groups, we’ve connected with the team and the athletic department and it really is a community effort that makes this project possible.”
While the number of donations — which has already surpassed over 10,000 bras donated to 30 countries — is a way to measure success, the empowerment of young girls in sports is equally as important.
“We want as many young people participating in our sport particularly, but any sport,” said Doughty.
Edited by Dan Aulbach
Graphic: Kira Crutcher
Photo from Marist Athletics
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