sportstyle

Matt's daughter Carolyn says her dad knows what he is talking about when it comes to her hockey equipment and he makes sure she is properly equipped and safe when she takes the ice. Make sure they have plenty of sizing options and that the fit is meant for a girl's body. Also make sure the style is up to date. May 2021 • 65 sportstylemag.com • sportstyle loves watching professional basketball, but like Kayla she prefers to wear boys'/men's basketball shoes because of the look and there are always more sizes available. Billy B.: Oh yes, sometimes we have to purchase men's foot- wear — for basketball mostly, or sometimes training. How about the other side of that question? Tim P.: I do not recall the last time she purchased or we purchased for her equipment, footwear or apparel that is made for boys or men or unisex. I'll even take the reader back to when she started playing basketball — I vividly remember purchasing for her at a Nike Outlet in Edinburgh, IN, a cute little pair of canvas Air Jordans for girls (pink even)! Mike B.: I have never pur- chased men's stuff for my daughter. Title IX probably had a lot to do with that. I have a friend from the NYAC who sells rugby gear and he tells me that the biggest growing sport in the USA is women's rugby and he is selling a ton of equipment. Who knew? Where do you buy your daugh- ter's sports stuff these days? How much has that changed over the years? Charlie G.: We have consis- tently bought from Dick's Sporting Goods. They normally have a lot of options, but their prices have increased. We also will go to smaller sports stores like Scotty's or Superstar Sports that are in our area. We also utilize the Internet — Just Bats and a few other places to find deals.. Tim P.: We would often go to our local Hibbett Sports or to the outlet mall in Edinburgh. Now, however, a lot of the pur- chases are from online sources. We enjoy going to Dick's Sporting Goods, too. Mike B.: We buy mostly from the Internet or sometimes directly from a club or through the school. Billy B.: I buy apparel and footwear from Adidas directly due to my sporting goods company. I've been in busi- ness for my daughters' entire athletic careers, so that has not changed. I buy swim items either from Adidas or from a local dealer named Swim Quik. For softball I buy bats directly from Easton or Louisville. I f you have a message for the makers of your daughter's sports equipment and uniforms, what would it be? Matt B.: The only message I would have is to start real- izing that there are a lot of girls that play ice hockey and they should start developing equipment catered to girls and women. Charlie G.: Thank you for making quality gear, but I would love to see more variety of coloring and size. And please try to make the prices more realistic. I would love to see all children be able to partic- ipate in sports regardless of their financial status. There have been times when my kids have been to tryouts and feel they can't compete with other kids because their parents can afford the new and best equipment. Even though she may be the better athlete, the equipment sometimes will play a role on how an individual will perform. Mike B.: Make sure they have plenty of sizing options and that the fit is meant for a girl's body. Also make sure the style is up to date and the colors make it work. Everyone wants to look good and it can give you confidence if you feel like you look good. Tim P.: My simple message is to keep up the good work. My daughter has experienced a lot of success as a three-sport, female high school athlete and a lot of that has to do with the quality of the products she wears and uses and the ease of availability. Billy B.: Please continue to make innovative women's designs for apparel, footwear and equipment because there is a difference between men's and women's goods and it's equally important to suit their needs for all of the above. n

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