New All In One Netball Suit for Mavericks Fast 5

Heads are sure to turn this weekend, when leading British netball franchise, benecosMavericks, take to the court in revolutionary all-in-one netball suits,

The kit will replace traditional dresses commonly worn in the sport.

Competing in the British Fast5 All-Stars Championship at The Copper Box on Saturday 13 October, the players will debut the innovative Mizuno all-in-one suit, developed earlier this year specifically for the movement and demands of the netball player.

The suit includes revolutionary design features to enhance player performance, with ‘wipe dry’ panels on the hips to keep hands sweat free for controlled ball handling, multiple body panels working in harmony with the movements of the sport, thigh grippers to prevent garments riding up whilst stretching and reaching, and a quarter length front zip for ease in changing.

Other garment specifications include breathable material to wick sweat from the body, flatlock seams to prevent abrasion and discomfort, hook and eye patches to allow for positional bibs and fully bespoke sublimation, allowing for any design and sponsor logo inclusion.

These innovations have been specifically designed to overcome some of the failings in standard netball dresses. benecosMavericks Director of Netball and Head Coach, Kathryn Ratnapala, said: “While the netball dress rightly remains hugely popular, players are sometimes left frustrated with certain aspects of the garment. Comments regarding the dress that we hear most are that; the hem rides up the body when a player is stretching or reaching – providing discomfort, potential exposure of the body and a lot of readjusting; that the dress can be easily grasped by an opponent, halting progress; and that some areas of the garment stick to the body when wet from sweat, while other parts remain loose”.

“As a team we are always looking for ways to gain an advantage over our opponents, especially as netball is a sport of such fine margins. The Mizuno all-in-one suit has incorporated a range of specially designed features that have been developed to help our players, as we constantly explore alternative ways improve performance.”

The dress has been the standard netball apparel since the sport’s inception in the 1920’s. The material and shape of the netball dress has changed significantly over the years, but where other sports such as cycling, swimming and rugby have invested into developing apparel that provides incremental gains, the fundamental design of netball apparel hasn’t changed.

As official kit suppliers to both British Rowing and The Boat Race, Mizuno felt they could use this expertise to develop a new outfit that would provide netball players with the benefits other athletes enjoy.
Mizuno Marketing Manager, Graham Johnson, adds: “We are extremely proud of our netball dress designs but wanted to create a garment that provoked an alternative line thinking & prompted a discussion in the netball world. The all-in-one suit has been designed to offer players at the elite level of the sport the opportunity to exploit the tiny gains needed to win matches.”

In line with Mizuno’s philosophy to continuously improve sport, the one of a kind all-in-one suit complements the messaging in Mizuno’s #MakeTheSwap campaign, which encourages players to transition from running shoes and generic trainers into netball specific footwear.

An extraordinary 70% of netballers – equating to over one million players in the UK – don’t wear the correct shoes for the sport, playing in trainers that don’t provide the necessary grip and support for the quick, dynamic movements needed in the sport. Netball shoes are specifically designed to improve performance on the court, providing necessary grip and support, whilst also helping to reduce the risk of ankle and knee injuries. Their durability also reduces the need to replace shoes on such a regular basis.

The development of these netball-specific shoes and the revolutionary new all-in-one suit highlight Mizuno’s ongoing commitment to improving the sport, investing in apparel that will enhance player performance, comfort and safety.

The Mizuno all-in-one suit will be showcased for the first time by Mizuno sponsored netball franchise benecosMavericks at the British Fast 5 All Stars on Saturday 13 October at the Copper Box Arena, London.