Are sports kits too expensive?

Are sports kits too expensive?

Being active is an important part of staying healthy and lots of children enjoy getting involved in sports like football and hockey which also have many physical benefits.

However, teachers and coaches in Wales say the cost of kit is stopping children from taking part in sport

It means grassroots clubs, which are usually run by people living in local communities and which often have limited funding, are now calling for support to help children who aren't able to afford kits.

"We are asking parents to come forward if they are struggling, but not many are doing it because they are embarrassed," said Jason Cooke who is a football coach in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

He said some children weren't getting involved because their families were "struggling to even put food on the table".

Many have been impacted by the cost of living crisis, which has seen the prices of important items like food and fuel go up.

Some sports require more kit and equipment than others

Gwennan Harries who is a teacher, sports commentator and former Welsh football player, said some sports which require lots of equipment can be a problem for families.

Equipment for some sports was expensive, she said, adding that participation in sports with lower costs was not affected.

"But for some of the hockey activities for example, there are less who take part as it requires loads of equipment and that significantly affects how many participate," she said.

A poor diet also affected children's performance, Ms Harries added.

What has the government said?

The Welsh government has said support is available for families who are struggling

The Welsh government said grants were available to help families who are struggling to buy kit and sports equipment.

Grassroots sports charity Sported UK said almost two thirds of 38 clubs it surveyed in Wales had received financial support to buy equipment and kit for young people, and each club worked with about 70 young people.

However, some Welsh community sports groups said they had seen a drop in young people taking part because of costs. Half had cut membership fees or provided free membership.

Across the UK, clubs said they had seen funding cut in the last six months and a third said they had no government or council support.

Now, we want to hear from you. What sports do you play and do you think kits are too expensive? You can have your say below.

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