100,000 Kits Later: Coach Fights Stigma, Keeps Girls Active

A dedicated sports coach is celebrating a significant milestone, having provided over 100,000 sanitary kits to girls and women. Sam Wright, with two decades of experience in safeguarding and sports, observed firsthand how menstruation caused young athletes to lose confidence and withdraw from activities.

Wright established the Period Coach, delivering workshops in high schools to educate students on sanitary product usage and foster a sense of support. Her "period kits," containing sanitary items and toiletries, have been instrumental in dismantling obstacles that prevent girls from participating in sports. This initiative directly addresses issues of period poverty and disengagement.

Wright noted a particular increase in these challenges post-Covid-19 pandemic, as many young people began menstruating during lockdowns and felt uncomfortable returning to sport. She emphasized the critical need to break the generational silence and stigma surrounding menstruation to improve well-being and participation.

The positive feedback from young participants fuels Wright's passion. She finds immense satisfaction in knowing that girls have the necessary supplies to continue their athletic journeys without interruption, preventing them from abandoning their sports.