We helped the Women’s British Wheelchair Basketball Team find their perfect fitting sports bra
Here at boobydoo our mission is to help every woman find the correct sports bra for them and their activity. We’ve been building relationships with different sporting teams to provide them with advice on the type of sports bras they should be wearing and helping them get the correct fit.
A few months ago we had the pleasure of not only welcoming the British Wheelchair Basketball Team down to boobydoo HQ but also helping them find their perfect sports bra! It was wonderful to meet the lovely team and find out more about their sporting careers and chat to them about their previous sports bra experiences:
Have you ever received any advice or help on what sports bra is right for you or breast health?
‘No not until today. It was really interesting to get that and hear different opinions because before I’ve just gone off – that looks nice and that will be comfy for whatever. So it was really good to actually have someone looking to see what you should be wearing so I’m thankful to be here and grateful for it.’ – Charlotte Moore
‘No, I think it’s been conversations within the girls and I think it’s such a taboo subject like anything with women’s health. I think especially in an all female sport, even just speaking with our team mates we can get embarrassed by it and concerned about does this work. Especially coming up to the juniors and then transitioning through puberty and going through all that together we still don’t really talk about it and I’m hoping that it becomes a subject that we can post about on social media and not be embarrassed about it and help the girls coming through.
I think that for me it's such an important topic. Some of the girls don’t like getting changed in front of people, don’t want you to know they wear bras underneath their sports bras. They cover things up and don’t want to be public about it and things like that. I think that the more we talk about it, the less embarrassed we can get about it.’ – Siobhan Fitzpatrick
‘No, not before we came here today. I’ve never been told before what sort of sports bra I should wear. I always kind of knew that I was wearing one that wasn’t great for me but it’s kind of like I didn’t really know where to look and didn’t really know you could get fitted for a sports bra so I was just trying them on and hoping it worked then getting one that kind of works so I’m just going with it.
I didn’t really know what else to try, I didn’t know what the different types were like. If it kinda just straps my chest down then that’s good enough. – Jude Hamer (Watch our full interview with Jude)
‘No I’ve never had any guidance or any information about sports bras so I’ve always just gone for okay that fits , okay great, oh no I don’t like that material, but other than that I’ve never had any guidance towards what should be a good sports bra for me’ – Kayla Bell (Watch our full interview with Kayla)
Do you think wearing a correct fitting sports bra makes a difference to your performance?
‘Yeah definitely, a massive difference when the bra doesn’t ft properly. There are some bras that I’ve tried and I just can not wear them.
I would really notice that there are some bras I would wear to the gym because it’s not as high impact and other ones for basketball or different activities because I just can’t wear them if I’m doing high impact activities because I’m just going to get distracted by the fact I don’t feel supported enough’. – Jude
‘Yeah definitely. You notice it a lot more when it’s uncomfortable, when it’s tight and you can’t move your arms freely and you need to be able to move your arms freely when in wheelchair basketball to shoot and pass’ – Joy Haizelden (Watch our full interview with Joy)
‘I think if it’s comfortable then you don’t really notice it and that’s the main thing of it. Like for me because I have a bigger one side than the other sometimes a sports bra fits really well here but then rolls on this side or the other way round.
I think it’s been really difficult to find ones that fit really well, so once I do I don’t really want to get rid of them even though you are meant to replace them quite frequently I can confirm that mine have not been up until now’ – Charlotte
‘I think it’s important to be comfortable, especially when it’s hot and sweaty. Having an uncomfortable sports bra may not impact your performance as such but it plays on your mind so then you’re constantly fidgeting instead of worrying what’s happening in play. You’re fidgeting and thinking about things you wouldn’t need to if it was a good fitting sports bra’ – Kayla
Have you always worn a sports bra when training or playing matches?
'Yes, always played in one but don’t have a clue if I’m doing it right or wrong or what brand to use. I pretty much just pick it on what’s the best colour or design. No actual knowledge of whether they’re good or bad.' – Siobhan
‘Yeah, I’ve never really found one that I really like and I just find it really difficult. I’m quite broad in my back and I just find it hard to find things that fit, are comfy and give me enough support. Yeah, I’d never train without a sports bra on’ – Jude
‘I’ll always wear a sports bra. I don’t really like normal bras anyway, I just find them really uncomfortable. If I can avoid wearing one in day to day life I will. For games and training and stuff I’m always in a sports bra, always have been’ – Laurie Williams
Have you ever experienced any brablems?
‘Yeah I’ve had some sports bras where the material gets quite tight, especially like sitting down all the time the band can roll over and that can get quite uncomfortable and if they’re quite restricting in the back.
Part of my disability is that I struggle to get my arms over my head sometimes so if I’ve got a really painful sports bra or it’s too tight it impacts my movement which makes it even harder to get my arms over my head which in wheelchair basketball is quite important’ - Kayla
‘Our backs are quite muscular and getting it on and off is such a pain when they’re really tight or you have to go a size up and sometimes it just doesn’t fit right especially when you are pushing a chair it really doesn’t feel that comfortable’ – Joy
How often do you buy a new sports bra?
‘I probably should buy them a lot more than I do but I tend to go through stages where I’ll do a massive kit shop and I’ll buy 3 or 4 at that time and then that’s all I’ll wear for the first couple of months, then I’ll buy them again but I probably should buy them a lot more than I do.’ - Kayla
‘Not often enough. I don’t remember the last time I got a sports bra before today. I probably get a couple maybe once a year and go yep that’s good enough I’ll just go with that and hope that kind of lasts me.
I’ll find one, I’ll like it so I’ll wear it until it just doesn’t work anymore. It’ll be like 5 or 6 years before I’m like okay I really should get rid of this one. It’s so hard to find one that I like and is comfy so I just won’t get rid of it if I like one’ – Jude
‘Not as often as I should considering how often I wear them and then wash them. Then they look really tired, but because they’re easy to get on and off and I’m just like oh I’ll keep them going a bit longer but in reality I really should be replacing them a lot more than I do’ – Charlotte
A massive thank you to the British Wheelchair Basketball Team for taking the time to come down to us, we hope you enjoy your new sports bras!
British Wheelchair Basketball Team Sports Bra Picks: