Earrings during sports are often an issue: In some cases they need to be taken out, in others they may be taped; sometimes studs are allowed, and sometimes there are no regulations at all. This concerns physical education (PE) at school or college sports as well as sports in clubs.
STUDEX checked with the local track and field club in Eckental. STUDEX Deutschland, located in Eckental near Nuremberg, Germany, has been a sponsor of this club since the beginning of 2015. The company’s commitment includes the sponsoring of the team’s jerseys, additional financial aids for the club, and providing a vehicle for trips to sports events and competitions.
The STUDEX logo adorns the jerseys of the young athletes. In addition, several sports events of the club carry the sponsor’s name, such as STUDEX Sprint Day (Sprintertag) or STUDEX Eckental Cross.
The successes of the young athletes are remarkable—from the local and regional to state level and even in national and international championships. Some of them wear studs, e.g. the sisters Verena (15), Laura (18) and Carina (19) Gröll, Lea Clemens (17), Isabella Sopper (19) or Sophie Arzberger (20). Laura Gröll, for example, has been crowned the German Octathlon Champion of 2016.
In which track and field disciplines do you wear earrings?
Sophie Arzberger: Basically in all disciplines. Laura and I high jump with earrings. Carina wears earrings when hurdling, long jumping or high jumping. Verena wears them in shot put and discus, Isabella on the 400 and 800 meters distance, and Lea on the 800 meters as well.
Are there any regulations at your club for earrings during sports?
Isabella Sopper: No, I believe that our club trusts in its members’ common sense. We’re not in contact sports, such as mixed martial arts or rugby. In our track and field disciplines, studs are neither a problem, nor do they bear any considerable health risks. Of course, we don’t wear longer earrings during sports.
Which earrings do you prefer to wear?
Verena Gröll: As Isabella said, definitely studs. No hoops and nothing that dangles from your ears. As for the designs, I choose whatever I feel like.
Lea Clemens: Currently, my favorite earrings are my pearl studs. They seem like a part of me. Rarely do you see me without them, be it during sports or anywhere else.
Laura Gröll: I love to combine different stud motifs, and I wear two studs per earlobe. I feel that that’s a style that suits me best.
Do you prefer certain materials for your earrings during sports?
Carina Gröll: Yes, I make sure that the post that goes through the earlobe is skin friendly. I prefer surgical stainless steel or titanium. With those types of earrings, sweating and taking a shower afterwards is no problem.
How important is it to you that you can wear your earrings during sports?
Isabella Sopper: I really like that we can wear earrings during sports. Of course, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, if that was not allowed. In that case, we would just take them out. But earrings are a way to express your own style. We don’t have many other opportunities for that in sports. Our club jerseys all look the same, and during competitions we all look pretty similar too. Therefore a little bit of individuality is quite nice.
More tips from STUDEX for earrings during sports:
- Make sure to choose earrings from hypoallergenic and skin friendly materials, such as surgical stainless steel, real gold, or titanium.
- Check in advance with your sports club, school or college if earrings need to be taped or taken out during sports.
- If you are planning to have your ears pierced, you may want to consider summer, spring or winter break or the off season, depending on your school’s or club’s regulations, since the piercing studs should be worn continuously for 6 weeks (earlobe) or 12 weeks (ear cartilage), i.e. without removing them.
Image credits
Header image: © Filip Mroz/Unsplash; all other images: © LG Eckental e.V.