If you had the chance to design your own sports uniform, what would it look like? Would comfort be the main priority, or would you focus on the design more? And could you really create something everyone on your team would be happy with?
At Ipswich High School, sports uniforms are more than just fabric stitched together—they’re symbols of unity, school pride, and team spirit. But when it comes to designing these uniforms, how much input should students actually have? Every athlete has their own opinion on what works and what doesn’t. So, if they were given the choice, what changes would they make—and should their voices matter in the final decision?
It has become increasingly clear that athletic uniforms are unfairly imposed on athletes, leaving them with little to no input on their design or fit. From tight seams around the neck and arms to materials that aren’t breathable, many of these uniforms are created without considering the students’ needs. This oversight can negatively affect both performance and confidence on the field.
In an article from Common Sense, Annalise Yi writes, “Athletes are required to wear jerseys that the school provides, which can create negative feelings among players because they don’t like how the jersey looks or feels. As the jerseys are passed down through the years, they may become worn down and typically aren’t as clean as when they are new.”
This issue has recently resurfaced at Ipswich High School, as the track team received new uniforms this year—replacing jerseys that had been used for over a decade. This change has sparked conversations about the importance of comfort, design, and whether students should have more say in how their uniforms are made. What do the athletes themselves think about this shift?
Bella Bruno, a junior on the Ipswich High School track team, shared her thoughts on the new uniforms compared to the old ones.“It doesn’t make me feel great when I wear it, and you need to feel good to do good,” she explained. She also went on to add, “Unlike the old ones, they’re an uncomfortable fit around the torso and neck.” The fit and look of a uniform can heavily affect an individual’s performance and confidence, so it is important for students to have a say in the design process.
Although, track recently brought back the discussion about sports uniforms, it is not the only sport that has concerns. Abby Sutherland is a sophomore on the JV lacrosse team. Her main agitation was “that it is unfair that varsity has better material uniforms/jerseys because even though varsity is the more advanced team, that doesn’t mean they are the “higher power” of the program.” Her concerns highlight an underlying frustration for athletes on junior varsity teams because having a sense of fairness is essential to ensure that every athlete feels valued within the program at Ipswich High School.
It should be recognized that while fairness and equal recognition are important, the reality of school budgets often complicates the issue. Higher-quality uniforms are typically more expensive, which can make it difficult for schools to provide the same standard across all teams. Balancing affordability with the need for comfort and performance is a challenge many athletic programs face. It’s not easy to balance costs, and “most of the time there are reasons why one sport is getting more funding than another. Some sports need a bigger budget for equipment and a higher amount of players than others” (Coleman, Sean, “The Unfair Distribution of Athletic Funds in High School Sports.” The Charge).
Jake Petradelis, a senior on the boys’ basketball team, considered the expense factor. He is also the class president, and he has to consider that factor in many of the things he sets up for the senior class. In his interview he added, “I think for students like me it’s less about the quality but more about wanting to get a say in the design itself.”
In closing, allowing students to voice their opinions on the uniforms they will be wearing would help to ensure that they feel comfortable and able to perform to the best of their abilities. Athletes can develop a sense of purpose in their team when they are given the opportunity to take part in decisions that directly affect them. Shouldn’t the ultimate goal be for schools to help students feel heard and seen in every aspect of their experience?
