Francie Pants are simply athletic style shorts made from the same material used in leotards and they are meant to fit snug. They come in a wide range of fun prints and at $16.50 a piece, they are comparable to what you would pay for a pair of shorts from GK or Asics. As far as sizing goes – I recommend ordering the same size as your daughter’s age. For example, the size 10 fits my 9 1/2 year old daughter perfectly and the size 12 fits my nearly 13 year old well, too.

Francie Pants are not just for the playground though! We were sent a few pair of Francie Pants to review and my girls love them. My gymnast daughter decided to give her boring black shorts a break and wore the leopard print Francie Pants over her pink leotard for gymnastics practice. The verdict – she says the Francie Pants are just as comfortable and loved all the compliments she got! I could see her wearing them for cheerleading next year, too. The Francie Pants would be perfect for volleyball, under a running skirt, dance class and just about any sport where you might want a little extra coverage.

Visit the Francie Pants virtual dressing room to pick the pair(s) you want and you can purchase them direct from the Francie Pants site, too.

Disclosure: I was sent two pair of Francie Pants to review and am a member of their affiliate program, however, all opinions of Francie Pants are my own and were tested by my daughters.

East Coast Golf Sales approached me about reviewing one of their newer golf gloves – one that lets you tan thru the glove so you don’t end up with funny looking tan lines on one hand after a day on the course (don’t forget sunscreen should still be a must) and this glove was different – it did not cover my fingertips. Interesting.

I took the Ladys First Tan Thru Golf Glove for a test drive last week and I will just say that I may never play with full fingered gloves again! While the tan thru feature is nice, the fabric used to make the tan thru possible is just so breathable and lightweight. The grip side is a very soft leather which gives you the ability to feel the club and grip it well.  And I never would have thought that having my fingertips uncovered would make such a big difference in the comfort of play, but it did. I can only imagine how much more comfortable it will be playing with this glove in July!

Another reason the half finger glove is perfect for so many women golfers, is that if you have long fingernails you don’t have to cram them into a regular glove. You can show off that manicure and not have to mess it up either.

Tan Thru Gloves sell for around $12 and they are available in additional colors and patterns, too. You can order them directly from East Coast Golf Sales which specializes in women’s golf gear.

Disclosure – I received a Ladys First golf glove for the purpose of this review, however, all opinions of the glove are entirely my own.

I recently talked about this particular challenge with Lorrie at ChicksPlaySports.com and found out that her challenges in outfitting her own girls for basketball and other team sports is what ultimately inspired her to start her site. ChicksPlaySports.com is an online store that offers real choices in athletic apparel that is cut for girls and young women that is not all Barbie-fied! The logo is clean and simple, the colors are feminine and fun, and the messages let girls show off their love of sports! Not only do they stock girls athletic apparel, but they have great accessories like pre-wrap, bags, equipment, shin guards, and more.

Lorrie sent my girls some  ChicksPlaySports.com logo gear to review and keep reading, because we are doing a giveaway, too! She sent over the CPS hoodie which my youngest daughter immediately tried on – and then proceeded to wear EVERYWHERE including school, field hockey practice and even wanted to wear it to bed. Basically, I had to pry it off her. The hoodie is super soft and nice and thick. Perfect for girls to throw on after practice or to show their love of sports in their daily activities.

We also received the CPS tank tops which are cut longer for layering and are also incredibly soft! They simply have Chicks Play Sports across the bottom and a T-back. Sassy but tasteful!  These are going to be worn a lot this summer – I can already tell.

Now for the GIVEAWAY! I am really excited to give our readers the chance to win a $30 gift certificate from Chicks Play Sports!

What we are giving away:

• One $30 gift certificate good toward any purchase at ChicksPlaySports.com

How To Enter

• Simply leave your response to the following questions in the comments on THIS site: What sport do you or your daughter play AND if you were to win the gift certificate, what is something you might want to buy at the ChicksPlaySports.com site?
  
• Get bonus entries by letting your friends know about our giveaway. Get one extra entry for each of the following:
  • Post about it on your own blog, in a forum or share it with your friends on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter (we are @SportsGirlsPlay)
  • Like SportsGirlsPlay on Facebook
  • Like ChicksPlaySports on Facebook
• Come back and leave a second comment telling us where you shared it.

Rules

• Leave your comment(s) no later than midnight May 24, 2011.
• You must use your real name and email address in the comment form below – don’t put your email address in the comment itself. If you don’t we can’t contact in the event that you win.
• We will be using AndTheWinnerIs to select one (1) winner.

Destira has a special Valentine’s sale going on right now. Use the coupon code XOXO to get 15% off your Destira leotard online purchase. The coupon is not good in stores that carry Destira and it is not good for the mystery leotard deal. Hurry – the coupon expires February 4, 2011.

The Team USA “Only One” t-shirt. I just love the message – and the fact that you can interpret it in a variety of ways.

Is it that the difference between 1st and 2nd is measured by one step, one meter, one shot or one second?

Or is it that you become a champion one one second, one minute, one revolution, one meter, one millimeter, one shot, one goal, one step at a time?

What do you think?

Check out more Team USA Olympic gear – just in time for the Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

The innovative, colorful Cleatskins are easy to put on over your child’s cleats making the trip to and from the field safer, cleaner and more efficient.  They are made of a unique rubber compound that keeps you from slipping or falling while protecting your cleats from abrasive surfaces like asphalt and concrete.

Additionally, the Cleatskins keep mud and dirt inside the the cover and out of your car, carpet and off your furniture. They are easy to clean – either rinse off in warm water or toss in the washing machine. That is the ease of use Moms really love!

For $19.95 you can get any of the kid size Cleatskins in about 18 colors/designs. Pick one that shows off your child’s favorite color or coordinate the entire team. It sure beats lugging a second pair of shoes back and forth to the field. Adult sizes are $25.95 and they even have a golf line.

You can save 10% by using the Sportsgirls coupon code created exclusively for SportsGirlsPlay readers!

Cleatskins make a great holiday gift for your favorite athlete or show your team spirit by getting matching Cleatskins for the entire team!

Where do you find the best deals on pinked out versions of your favorite fan gear?

50% off Reebok’s Entire Stock of Women’s NFL Tees with promo code NFL50. Hurry, offer ends 11/4!

LadyFanatics.com has a huge selection of pink ladies NFL, NHL and MLB gear – only $4.99 shipping, any size order.

Right now they are available for swimming, diving, soccer and softball, but I am going to put in a request that they add more sports like gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and more.

Check out the Sports Girls Play Get the Gear pages for more girls sports gear, equipment, apparel and gift ideas.

The initial collection of Go! Go! Sports Girls consists of nine dolls: Gracie (Tennis Girl), Cassie (Soccer Girl), Brooke (Golf Girl), M.C. (Dancer Girl), Taye (Basketball Girl), Maya (Gymnastics Girl), Sam (Softball Girl), Suzi (Swimmer Girl), and Ella (Runner Girl). Approximately 14” in height, the dolls are made from high quality cloth which is safe and durable. They are soft, comfortable and light to carry, easy for a child to take with her to play or sleep.

According to Jodi Norgaard, President of Dream Big Toy Company, Go! Go! Sports Girls were created with a subtle yet strong message for young girls – appreciate and be true to yourself. “Through the dolls, the goal is to encourage girls to be physically, mentally and emotionally healthy through sports and physical activity” states Norgaard. “Go! Go! Sports Girls are age and size appropriate and do not encourage an older or overly mature image.”

Dream Big Toy Company donates a portion of profits from the sale of Go! Go! Sports Girls to organizations that encourage girls to participate in physical activity and develop healthy lifestyles.

Jodi sent us two of the dolls – one gymnast and one swimmer – to check out for ourselves. The dolls are so cute and it is apparent that a lot of attention to message and detail was put into the design of the dolls. I love the sling back pack that each of the dolls comes with and on their belly is embroidered a very special, sport specific inspirational message. My swimmer loved that her doll has “Dream Big, Swim Fast” on her and can’t wait to take her to her next swim meet.

On the Go! Go! Girls web site you can get more information on the organizations they support, articles on healthy living and fun exercise tips, and of course you can order your own sports girl!

• Destira Leotards – we LOVE these leotards for gymnastics practice. They are well made, wash well and come in so many cool designs. Place an order between now and 12/14/09 and get 15% off with the code SAVE15.
• Got a swimmer? I just ordered the Small Pro Backpack from Speedo for my daughters. It has plenty of room for their gear, but the small version is perfect for kids under 10 as they can carry it themselves (the regular size one is as big as they are). I can get their fins in the bag, there is a separate pocket for wet suits, and even a place for their iPod. SwimLocker is my favorite place to order their gear thanks to their large selection and free shipping option.
• If you miss the Olympics as much as I do, check out the US Olympic Shop for sweatshirts, hats, bags, and more.  Take 15% Off no Minimum at US Olympic Shop! Use Code LKS38LFN.
• Zappos, which I used to think only carried shoes, now has a great selection of Women’s Nike clothing at Zappos.com and they always offer free shipping!
• And just because it looks like fun, I am going to get my girls the We Cheer game for Wii. I like the dance component of it and we can all play it together.
• Justice (a spin off of Limited Too) always has sport themed ts, fleece, sweat pants and outfits. They seem to get new designs for gymnastics, soccer, and dance every season, and I have seen swim, basketball, and general athletic themes from time to time. Justice Sale! Fleece Jacket Now $24.99 each (thru 11/11)

As the holidays get closer, I will continue to highlight fun gifts for girls who love sports and track down some great deals, too. If you have any recommendations, don’t be shy – share them with us.