Netball focused sportswear brand Flyhawk have been making a name for themselves when it comes to kit launches but their latest campaign titled ‘Choice Beats Tradition’ might just be their best yet.
The campaign which features international netballer Natalie Metcalf, Super League star Halimat Adio and England Thorns captain James Thomson-Boston focuses on a product collection that will help make the sport more inclusive with alternative options to traditional netball kit. The range also includes teamwear options for mixed and men’s teams which is a fast-growing area of the game.
Natalie Metcalf commented:
“Within netball, you train in shorts and T-shirts or leggings and then when it comes to game time you put on the dress. There is something special with saying you ‘put on the dress’ for the game, but I think with the way the game is going, with more people playing the game, I think there’s an opportunity for us to give people that option of what they want to wear. We want to have no barriers for the sport. We want to have more people playing the game. If someone doesn’t want to play in a dress, then give them another option to play in something that they’re comfortable in.”
The focus for the Flyhawk product team has been providing people with choice above all and ensuring there are no barriers when playing sport. Their firm belief is that Netball belongs to everyone and sport belongs to everyone.
A study by Women in Sport found that more than 1 million girls in the UK lose interest in sport as teenagers. Its poll of more than 4,000 teenagers found that 43% of girls felt they were sporty at primary school but no longer saw themselves this way. Self-belief and body image concerns were issues that were found to be especially true for girls who has stopped taking part in sport and physical activity as they got older. What girls wear in sport is so important for their body confidence, comfort and enjoyment, three things which help encourage participation.
With a particular focus centered around inspiring young girls and keeping them engaged in sport throughout their impressionable teenage years, the Flyhawk product team, continue to develop diverse and inclusive clothing ranges so everyone can feel comfortable playing the sport that they love without feeling uncomfortable or self-conscious.
Halimat Adio added:
“When I was growing up, I sometimes used to overthink about how I looked in my kit, whether my top was too tight. Whatever I’m wearing, especially the top half, I want to feel comfortable. I don’t want to have to be thinking ‘is someone looking at this or that?’”
James Thomson-Boston shared his thoughts on the campaign:
“Choice over tradition is a fantastic campaign and a fantastic way to start phrasing things to do with netball. Netball traditionally is a women’s sport. Traditionally, you can’t play mixed netball once you hit a certain age and if we can start breaking down some of those barriers, we can start allowing this sport to be a sport for everyone. And I think that’s the key to this. Netball is such a fantastic sport and it has such a fantastic community; why should we be putting any barriers up for anyone who wants to get involved?”
Founded in 2021 by experienced brand builder and former player Steph Essex, the Flyhawk brand is one of the most exciting new brands in the team apparel space with its bold campaigns and empowering messaging.
The netball community is a special one made up of so many inspirational characters; the go-getters, the team players, those that empower others and those that challenge the status quo. Flyhawk are building a truly aspirational and inclusive brand for the sport; a brand that represents the 20 million people that play netball worldwide and that includes every body, every age and every size.
