Are Teens Sports Bras Making the Grade?

My Personal Story about why Teens Sports Bras are important!

Me in 1998 throwing the shot put. I would have rather been sprinting, but lacked a good supportive sports bra.

I've mentioned several times on my website that I love football, but I also grew up loving running, volleyball, and basketball. Except I never dared compete in high school because I was too embarrassed by my large chest. I thought everyone would be staring at me because I was bouncing all over the place.

When you're the 'biggest' girl in school you get pretty self conscious about drawing even more attention to yourself by running or jumping.

I couldn't find a sports bra that was supportive enough at our small town Walmart and online shopping was unheard of in 1997.

So, I settled for being the shot-putter on our high school track team even though I had zero interest in throwing a heavy, metal ball. What was I thinking? Well a couple things

1) Not a lot of 'movement' when you're throwing the shot-put, just spin and heave. ;)

and

2) Nobody really watches shotputting. I could still be part of a 'team', go to all the fun track meets and keep my embarrassment over my chest size to a manageable level.

I'd like to think that if I had access to supportive teens sports bras back then, my high school athletics experience would have been much much better!

I share this personal story in hopes that it proves how important a good sports bra can be to a teenager. I think it would have made a huge difference for me.

Interesting Stats!

Female high school athletes are......

92% less likely to get involved with drugs

80% less likely to get pregnant

3 time more likely to graduate than non-athletes

Source: Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission, Athletic Footwear Association, USA Today Survey, Michigan State

For more benefits girls get from playing sports click here.

Why teens sports bras are important...

Our girls these days are more athletic and involved than ever. Softball, basketball, gymnastics, track, soccer, lacrosse, dance, cheer, etc.

And it's not just High School age teens putting on their team uniforms, middle school girls are just as active. And all that adds up to millions of girls jumping, running, sliding, sprinting, and generally being awesome!

It doesn't matter if these girls are wearing shin guards, knee pads, mouth guards, or helmets. There's one piece of equipment that is universal for athletic female teens: Sports Bras!

A good teen sports bra will....

Help protect the developing breast tissue.

Help reduce the tenderness that girls experience when their breasts are growing.

And most importantly, it will help improve and enhance a young woman's performance because she will be able to focus on the game and not worry about excessive bounce/movement.

Are Teens Sports Bras different from Women's Sports Bras?

If you're a teen girl athlete, a good sports bra is a must!

The answer is Yes... and No. :) The fundamentals of what make a great women's sports bra is the same as what makes a great teens sports bra. Take a minute and check out my Sports Bra Tips to learn more.

Here are some specifics to remember when shopping with your teenager for a good sports bra.

ask your coaches/athletic director if there is any school policy regarding sports bras. For example, colors, brand names.

Consider your uniform. Find a sports bra that will perform well and work with your uniform. Try to find a bra that is unnoticeable.

Once you find a sports bra you love, buy several of them. You'll need a couple for practices and one for game day. It's a good idea to wear the same type/brand of sports bra in practice that you'll be playing in so you can get used to it.

Look for a sports bra with adjustable shoulder straps. A teenage girl's body is usually smaller frame. Adjustable straps will ensure supportive cups.

Measure, Measure, Measure!

What to look for when shopping for teens sports bras...

I don't have any proof or scientific studies to back me up, but I'm going to guess that most athletic teen bra sizes are going to be cup sizes A-D. So the super, heavy duty, big bust sports bras that I've discussed on my site, here and here will be overkill for teens, but they're still great sports bras and might work for some larger teens.

I spent a couple hours looking through sports bras on herroom.com and found a few bras that I think would work great for a teenage girl athlete who has a bra size between A and D.

Under Armour Armour Sports Bra

The Under Armour Brand is super popular among high school athletes right now. This bra gets high marks from most everyone. I have two complaints. 1) it's pricey @ 56.00 and 2) it only comes in black which might not work with some school uniforms.

But it got good reviews. Here's one from a mom that bought it for her teen daughter who plays soccer.....

"Bought this for my daughter, who has a teeny tiny rib cage and needs a 32DD bra. She plays soccer and was absolutely DELIGHTED with this bra! She says it fits perfectly and holds everything in place. Wish this came in white, too, as we would buy more!"

Keep in mind that each cup size has a different accent color and also a different style back.

Champion Shape T-Back Sports Bra

Champion is another name brand that has been around forever. This bra will be perfect for high impact activities if your teen's breast size is an A or B cup. If your teen is bigger (C or D) then this bra is considered a low impact bra and won't completely stop the bounce. This bra will work great for a majority of high school girls.

This bra has won several awards for being awesome. Definitely worth considering.

The price is right for this bra - $30.00 and it comes in lots of fun colors and patterns. That's a plus when it comes to teens sports bras.

Champion All-Out Support Sports Bra