This week, Jane from Snapdragon, tells us why it is important to get the simple things right..
![rugby-girls[1]](https://www.scottishwomeninsport.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/rugby-girls1.jpg)
In the summer I was chatting to Sacha (far right in the photo) who is my youngest daughter's best friend. We were discussing school sports and she mentioned that the newly formed girls' rugby team at Balfron High School had no strips of their own and had to wear the boys football strips.
My first thought was "Bleugggghhhh . . . I would NOT want to share a shirt with a teenage boy"
Then my daughter said "The boys would never wear the girls' hockey kit – it's a feminist issue"
And Sacha pointed out that other teams were able to pull them back by hanging onto the enormous shirts which trailed below their shorts.
That was the most important thing . . . . it affected the team's performance
I believe that proper kit – whether that is rugby tops or decent art materials, tuneful instruments or quality tools – make a fundamental difference to engagement, aspiration and achievement in our schools.
They are a sign of people caring, trusting, appreciating – they make young people feel special.
I contacted the school and offered to buy the girls some proper rugby strips.
This week the beautiful new strips arrived – fitted, flattering, modern, smart – and four of the players came over to show them off to us.
We are really lucky being in the cachment of Balfron High – it is a brilliant school and every year teenagers from there come and help us out in the Christmas rush, working weekends and evenings to get all the orders out. They have all been, without exception, hard working, enthusiastic, self starting, and great fun.
It is nice to be able to show how much we appreciate them.
This blog has been reproduced with kind permission from Jane at Snapdragon. The original article can be found here http://www.snapdragononline.co.uk/news/blog/a-team-effort—–/
"Jane Lindsey has recently founded the registered charity The Snapdragon Foundation which grant funds projects working with 14-24 year olds to help them pursue interests outwith the standard curriculum – http://www.facebook.com/thesnapdragonfoundation"
@snapdragonjane
