Tess Howard is changing the game on and off the pitch.

Since breaking into the Great Britain squad in 2018, she has established herself as one of the most exciting players in international hockey, but her impact off the pitch has been just as significant.

In 2023, inspired by personal experience and her university dissertation, Tess launched Inclusive Sportswear, a non-profit community-interest company campaigning for inclusive sports kit policies for schools, clubs, National Governing Bodies and brands.

The findings from her dissertation were clear: 70% of women and girls drop out of sport because of kit and body image concerns.

“Inclusive Sportswear stemmed from my own experiences,” Tess tells the BEAA.

“I had to wear kit I wasn’t comfortable in. In hockey, you could only wear skirts or skorts in matches until 18 months ago.

“That was based on tradition, there not being a match short option and the kit policy stating you all had to look uniform and that being interpreted as everybody had to wear the same item.

“My frustration was that we trained in shorts every day but wore skorts to play matches so in 2023 I decided it was time to publish my research and make a stand.”

The campaign quickly gained traction.

England Hockey introduced inclusive kit regulations in May 2023 and the International Hockey Federation soon followed suit, allowing players to choose between skorts and shorts.

Since then, Inclusive Sportswear has gone from strength to strength, with its influence stretching beyond hockey.

It launched the Inclusive Sportswear Charter, the first inclusion-focused clothing standard in sport, and built a community platform offering schools and organisations resources to update their kit policies.

Tess’ achievements are all the more impressive when you consider Inclusive Sportswear began in the build-up to Paris 2024 – her first Olympics.

Hockey always comes first, she says and, while she acknowledges running a company alongside her sporting career can be a balancing act, she has enjoyed the process.

“There are two aspects to your life in sport – what you do in the sport and what you do away from it.

“If what you need to be the best on the pitch is to have something that ticks your mind over and gives you energy, then that’s what you need.  

“For me, I need something to keep me mentally engaged because it helps me perform on the pitch.”

There’s been personal benefits, too, with Tess admitting the broad range of skills she’s developed will stand her in good stead when her time on the hockey pitch comes to an end.

“I’m finishing my master’s at the moment, so it’s been pretty intense, but it’s been really fun and I’ve learned loads,” she adds.

“I do all the jobs of the company – operations, branding, grant writing, project management – as well as being the founder and director.

“The whole process of setting Inclusive Sportswear up has been enjoyable and there’s been a nice realisation that mission-led projects or businesses are something I have a skill set in.

“I've been empowered to do things like public speaking and leading meetings, so I feel a lot more confident in my persona outside of hockey and for life after sport.”

What then, is Tess’ advice for fellow elite athletes who may have entrepreneurial ideas they wish to pursue during or after the sporting career?

“I would talk to somebody who's done it before,” she says.

“That’s a good place to start but also look at what is already out there and how you can support an existing organisation. See if you can become an ambassador and that may open the door for work experience or internships.

“It’s tough to lift something off the ground so if there is a way to maximise your impact, your time and energy by supporting another organisation, that’s really powerful.

“And if that’s not possible, talk to somebody who has built an organisation – getting mentors from people who are more senior in your space is really important.”

Tess is looking for elite athletes to publicly back the Inclusive Sportswear Charter, particularly those who have experienced an issue with sports kit. If you are interested in supporting Inclusive Sportswear, contact Tess via: inclusivesportswear@gmail.com.