Your senior analyst fought harder for a team jacket than for essential software.

The software cost five times more.

Something shifted after you denied the kit request. The easy rapport vanished. The voluntary overtime dried up. They still deliver what's asked. Nothing more.

You think they're being petty.

You're missing something.

It was never about the kit.

In sport, kit transcends fabric and logos. It declares: you belong here.

Baggy greens cannot be bought - only given. They're invitations to contribute to something greater. The kit sends a similar message: We see you. We value your sacrifice. You're one of us.

This is what GMs miss: jerseys aren't compensation.

They're confirmation of belonging.

Eventually, you'll need something urgently. A data package. A tactical brief. You'll need it yesterday.

Your analyst faces a choice. They have a hundred other priorities. Most align better with seasonal objectives. Most matter more for winning games.

Their decision to drop everything hinges on one thing:

Do they feel valued as part of the team?

That "simple" request will create hours of after-dinner work. They'll sacrifice their evening without thanks - if they believe they matter to you.

But when you deny that kit request?

You've told them the truth. They're vendors. Support staff. Necessary, but not one of us.

When filling out kit orders, pause.

Who do you call when you really need something?

Often it's not the ones in the spotlight. It's the analyst in the back row finding marginal gains. They'll work at your right hand - because teams aren't about wearing the same jersey.

Teams are about knowing who will sacrifice when you need them.

They don't need to know why you want something. They trust it matters.

Return that trust.

When they ask for kit, don't demand justification. Don't run cost-benefit analysis.

Because when you question whether the analyst "needs" team gear, you're not saving money.

You're breaking a covenant.

You're saying their sacrificed weekends were transactions, not contributions to something shared.

Organisations that understand this keep their best people. They get extraordinary effort when it matters most. They build teams where everyone - from stars to support staff - drives toward victory together.

Those that don't? They get compliance, not commitment.

The jersey is only as valuable as those who wear it.

Have pride in your jersey. Have pride in your staff.

Next time someone asks for kit, remember: they're not asking for clothing.

They're asking if they belong.

Your answer determines whether, when you need them most, they give you their minimum or their maximum.

In high-performance sport, that difference is everything.