Periods: Why one football team in Lincolnshire has changed the colour of their shorts

There's lots to think about when you're playing football - your team's strategy, how good your opponents are, whether or not it's going to rain.

But for some people, there's one more thing that can potentially cause quite a lot of anxiety: whether or not you're on your period.

That's why an under-15 girl's football team in Lincolnshire has switched their shorts from red to black, to try and make the players feel more comfortable on the pitch.

It is the first time in 150 years a Horncastle Town team has not played in red shorts, the club said.

These girls say that their new shorts help them focus more on the game

What is a period?

Period is short for menstrual period or menstruation. Periods are part of the female reproductive system.

A period happens because of changes in hormones in the body. These hormones cause ovulation, when an egg is released from one of the ovaries and also cause the lining of the uterus to build up.

If this egg is fertilised then it may go on to create a baby, and the lining of blood and tissue will support that. If it isn't fertilised, then the lining breaks down and bleeds out of the body through the vagina for a few days.

This happens roughly every 28 days and is called a menstrual period.

Why can it cause issues when playing sport?

It's not the same for everyone, but periods can often cause painful cramps and other uncomfortable symptoms.

On top of that, if you're not sure when it's coming you might not be prepared with products like tampons and pads and you may experience some leaking through your clothes.

The girls got a special message from Lioness legend Jill Scott after the change

This is why the team are now wearing black shorts - even if some blood does leak through, no one will be able to tell, as the dark colour will hide it.

What do the girls think of their new kit?

Emma, one of the players on the team, said she used to play with two pairs of shorts on when she had her period "just in case".

Emma said she loves the sense of community she gets from playing football

The new kit has made it "so easy to get ready and be comfortable when I'm playing," she said.

"It's a natural thing, all girls have it, it's nothing to be ashamed of."

Teammate Liv said the shorts helped her focus on playing, saying: "Even if anything was to happen, you feel better because it's not going to show."

Liv said she was inspired by watching the Lionesses win Women's Euro 2022

What are professional athletes saying about it?

Periods affect professional athletes too.

At the European Championships in Munich in August 2022, legendary British sprinter Dina Asher-Smith got a calf cramp.

It caused her to limp out of the 100m final, and she told journalists that it was because of "girl stuff", referring to her period.

She also said that there should be more research done on how periods affect athletic performance.

"It is a huge topic for women in sport," Dina told BBC Sport. "It is something I think more people need to research from a sports science perspective.

"It could do with more funding because if it was a men's issue we would have a million different ways to combat things.

"People don't talk about it, and sometimes you see girls who have been so consistent have a random dip, and behind the scenes, they have been really struggling."

What do you think of the idea of black shorts to play football in? Would it make you feel more confident to play sport during your period? Is it something you worry about or does it not affect you? Let us know in the comments.