A new women’s cricket team in Wales has debuted this season, completely kitted out in Maiden, a purpose-driven, grassroots-first sportswear brand redefining cricket for women and girls. Western Steel – a combination of the talent of Briton Ferry Steel and Carmarthenshire, is the first women’s hardball cricket team in Carmarthenshire and South West Wales to be dressed in Maiden, with their first team competing in the South Wales Cricket Premier League and their second team in Division One.
Gemma Pugh, Co-Team Manager says: “We are really excited about showing off our new kit with Maiden. With the creation of Western Steel, we wanted to build a team that was for all women and girls, from all backgrounds and areas. We are a team coached by women, consisting of women and didn’t want a kit made by a generic kit company, we wanted one with a strong message – that is made by women, for women.”
Karen Hughes, Coach of Briton Ferry Steel Ladies who has led the team for the past eight years, and now Co-Team Manager of Western Steel says: “The merger of Briton Ferry Steel Ladies and Carmarthenshire Ladies marks an exciting new chapter for women’s cricket in Wales. We are very excited about the merger and proud to see the squad wearing the new Maiden clothing this season. The squad has expanded with several new players joining ahead of the campaign, creating a strong and competitive group for the year ahead. Credit was also given to the hard work and commitment of Aimee Rees and many others who have helped drive the development and growth of the women’s game within the club.
“The club is delighted to see how women’s cricket and the league structure in Wales have continued to grow and expand over the last few years. With a fresh identity, increased competition and plenty of enthusiasm around the team, the players are ready for an exciting season ahead.”
Maiden was created by teenage sisters Honor and Cat Black with the aim of reshaping the future of female cricket with their innovative designs, meticulously crafted to women’s and girls’ unique needs – both in terms of function and fashion.
Western Steel is a team made up of girls aged from 13 to over 40. For years Gemma, Karen and their fellow cricketers have been wearing men’s kits, but Gemma believes having a kit that is designed specifically for women will not only change her game, but the entire look of the game in the South Wales area. She says: “This will make a huge difference to young girls wanting to get into cricket. Teenage girls are often so self-conscious about what they look like, having something fitted that they would feel comfortable in will make them feel so much better when they’re playing. Until now, we had been using hand-me-downs from men’s teams so when the kit bag came out, the younger girls would be racing to get the kit with the smallest t-shirts that fitted better, as the big, baggy tops were so uncomfortable.
“It seems crazy that we’ve waited this long to have our own kit for women - one that fits properly, has our own name on and will make us all feel a lot more confident and proud to be out on the cricket field.”
Luckily for the team, one of Western Steel’s bowlers is a fashion designer in her day-to-day life meaning that she was able to join forces with the Maiden crew and create a design that reflects the ambition and unity of the newly combined squad - that is daring, stylish and practical.
Gemma adds: “There is still a lot to do to raise the profile of women’s cricket in Wales but hopefully young girls will watch us play and see that there’s a pathway for them to get into the game and succeed.”
Carl Holding, Women’s and Girls’ Lead at Cricket Wales was responsible for launching the Cricket Wales Girls League and was instrumental in expanding women’s competitions nationwide. He says: “The new Western Steel team is fantastic news for women’s and girls’ competitive cricket across Wales. Having their own kit, designed specifically for them, ensures they can play, and look, their best, getting into a positive mindset the moment they put it on.”
Mark Frost, Head of Partnerships at Cricket Wales believes that having a separate kit for men’s and women’s teams is imperative. He says: “For many clubs, the idea of having separate kits for men and women isn’t even considered but having a kit that is comfortable for women, and girls, is so important to encourage the next generation into cricket. It’s not just about the kit, and comfort, it’s about building that momentum around women in sport; shining a spotlight on female participation and putting the onus on women’s and girls’ success in general. I’d urge clubs to embrace having two suppliers (for females and males) and not use the excuse of ‘it’s easier having one supplier to deal with’. It’s not just a bit of kit, it’s saying women’s and girls’ sport matters – it’s just as important as boys and hopefully the next generation will see that.”
Honor Black, Founder of Maiden Cricket says: “We are thrilled to provide Western Steel with their first kit and proud that they’re our first Welsh kit to carry our logo. Women’s and girls’ sport has been overlooked for long enough. We created Maiden because we were fed up wearing hand-me-downs and clothes that just weren’t practical for our needs and we knew that if we felt this way, there must be thousands of females across the UK that did too. We want to encourage women and girls to play and look their best.”