SupportHER Club Merch
Sport builds confidence, skills and friendships. But girls are twice as likely to drop out as boys. That is why we are launching SupportHER Club merch to help keep girls in sport. Each piece is designed to inspire, uplift and empower young sportswomen.
Created by Kiwi artist Bonnie Brown with sports psychologist Dom Vettise, the merch includes two messages: one from a supporter to their daughter, and one in reverse for their daughter to see in the mirror. It’s all part of our mission to bring fairness back to Kiwi’s starting with girls in sport at every level.
Every dollar raised from all merch sales will go to five secondary schools across New Zealand to support their girls' sports programmes, in partnership with the NZ Sports Collective.
Play Brave T-Shirt
Price: $20
Play Like You T-Shirt
Price: $20
Play Brave Hoodie
Price: $40
Play Like You Hoodie
Price: $40
Why reverse merch for the girls? The importance of positive self-talk
Positive self-talk builds confidence, motivation, and resilience by reinforcing internal beliefs about her own ability and worth. For girls, who tend to internalise setbacks and doubt their competence, self-talk that focuses on courage, growth, and effort helps them stay engaged, focussed, and bounce back (or bounce forward) from mistakes.
What is best practice messaging from a supporter, and why?
Best-practice messaging for girls encourages connection, effort, courage, and enjoyment over outcomes. Supportive messages should promote intrinsic motivation, affirm her sense of belonging, and recognise her growth. All of which are shown to be particularly powerful for keeping girls engaged in sport.
SupportHER Merch Proceeds Support These Schools
Kelston Girls
Kelston Girls has identified two major barriers: a lack of basketball hoops and worn-out uniforms. Despite having strong basketball talent, limited facilities mean teams often travel to other schools to train. The new hoops will not only support on-campus training through Basketball NZ’s Hoops in Schools programme but also be available for general student use, which has generated a lot of excitement. Replacing the current uniforms is also a high priority and will be a much-appreciated upgrade for the players.
Rotorua Girls' High School
The school has many talented athletes and plans to use funding to send some teams to Nationals, after qualifying in late August with very limited time to fundraise. Travel costs for events like this can be a major burden on families, often limiting who can participate. This funding allows the team to focus on training and competing, rather than scrambling to raise money. New uniforms will also be provided, helping the girls feel more confident, because when you look good, you feel good.
New Plymouth Girls
NPGHS faces two major challenges that this funding will help address. First, students often travel long distances just to compete with nearby schools, which places a significant burden on families and the wider community. A portion of the funding will ease this pressure, allowing more girls to take part. Second, uniforms are a costly expense, as the school supplies them for all students. For instance, with 35 netball teams, some girls have had to use strapping tape for numbers. Thanks to the 2degrees funding, students can feel proud in proper gear.
Marlborough Girls College
Marlborough Girls College’s location means students travel for every sport and game they compete in, the funds will go toward coaching resources and extra support to drive school vans which are currently restricted with how many opportunities they can offer – due to funding. Currently, talented girls are being poached by schools with greater resources, so this support will help Marlborough grow and retain talent.
Timaru Girls
Timaru Girls has a rich cultural mix, and one of the biggest barriers to sport and PE participation is the lack of privacy in changing rooms. The school plans to use part of the funding to create a more comfortable and private environment for students. Uniforms are also a challenge, with some girls wearing PE gear or casual tops due to limited access to proper kit. Feeling confident and looking the part plays a big role in participation, and with support from 2degrees, the school aims to help students feel proud to compete.
