Donna Johnson was having a casual coffee three years ago when the idea for her Zena performance garment materialised. It almost happened by accident.

Women’s footy was the topic of conversation.

Naturally the chat centred there, as Donna’s friend had three daughters – ranging from eight to 17 – who’d all simultaneously taken up the game.

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“I flippantly asked if there was any kind of protective wear for their chest and ribs, given when our son starts a new sport we’re decking him out from head to toe,” Donna tells foxfooty.com.au.

“I left that conversation and started talking about it to Brad because I couldn’t really believe girls don’t wear any protective wear, especially at that adolescent stage when they’re developing.”

The Brad that Donna refers to is the Western Bulldogs’ games record-holder, Brad Johnson.

Together, the husband-wife combination spent the next 24 months researching whether there was a need for protective wear. Certainly, there was a growing market.

Brad and Donna Johnson – back in his playing days – with children Ella and Jack.

Brooke Brisbane – a medical research scientist from Melbourne University who recently submitted a PhD on breast injuries stemming from contact sports – worked with Donna and Brad to understand the study behind breast trauma.

Deakin University and the AFL were also strong in their support, with the latter party working hand-in-hand with the Johnsons for 12 months to ensure the Zena performance garment was up to scratch.

After months, and indeed, years of trialling, the product was unleashed earlier this year, with a plethora of AFLW stars the first to get their hands on it.

“There’s probably 15 girls who are wearing it at the moment in games across all the different clubs,” Brad says.

“There’s the top-end girls of Daisy Pearce and Erin Phillips all the way down to the younger players coming through like Gabby Newton.

“We hope that any time of player in the game – whether it’s AFLW, local level seniors or any kind of junior contact sports – feel empowered to get out there, play sport, feel comfortable and confident in knowing they’ve got a level of protection. We hope it encourages girls to stay in sport for longer.”

That last point may resonate strongly with young women who’ve given up sport because they felt uncomfortable out on the field or on the court.

And what Donna has come to understand while taking Zena to footy clubs around Australia is that education is just as important in the space as injury prevention.

“It’s a protective garment, but our education around it is to prevent getting sore or getting an injury in the first place,” she says.

“I suppose the dynamic has changed a bit because at the beginning of the process it was all about the garment, but the more we go out and speak to girls we’ve been educating them about breast injury and breast trauma.

“It’s not something that’s really discussed. We’re trying to normalise that and prevent injuries from occurring.”

You can read more about – or even purchase – the Zena protective garment here.