Stef Reid keeps everyone ‘playing’ in the rain

Stef Reid keeps everyone 'playing' in the rain

By Sported | 30th September 2021

On Tuesday night, para-athlete and brand ambassador for Always’ Keep Her Playing campaign, Stef Reid, came down to the track at Saffron Athletics club in Leicester to run the session for the group in the Sported network.

Beaming smiles all around, despite the pouring rain, made it apparent that Stef had many fans, both among the young people and training staff.

Group Leader Mary Baker said that after such a tough year she was “so excited” when she heard that the long jumper was going to pay them a visit. During lockdown Mary had set up 4-hour sessions in the park so that she could spend some time training with each community group member, wipe things down and start again with the next. She said that it was exhausting but necessary to keep in touch and maintain momentum for her athletes. She also set up virtual calls with the young people and their parents to make sure they felt connected.

Above: Para-athlete Stef Reid talks to young athletes at Saffron Athletics Centre.
Top right: Stef Reid puts the young athletes though their paces in the rain.
Bottom right: All smiles with Stef Reid and some of the young people.

Through their Keep Her Playing campaign, Always is working to keep girls and young women active in sport, in response to recent research commissioned by the period protection brand that revealed nearly 1 in 3 girls drop out of sports during puberty because they don’t think they’re good enough (28%), or they didn’t feel encouraged to keep playing (25%).

Keeping young women and girls involved in sports and physical activity can have long-term benefits and help them build valuable life skills that go beyond the track such as teamwork, communication and perseverance.

The young people down at the track were there to beat times, throw further and improve their hurdling… but perhaps just as importantly, to bond with friends, build confidence and have fun.

Always’ partnership with Sported, has already helped over 15,000 girls to stay in sports by awarding grants and equipment to over 250 grassroots community groups.