Q&A: Are There Better Fueling Options Than Energy Drinks?

The sheer number of energy drinks on the market today is staggering. There are so many options, it might seem as though they should be an integral part of an athlete’s diet. Hockey mom, Wendy, questions the use of such drinks for her son. In the following article, Dr. Christopher Mohr, nutrition spokesperson and consultant, provides Wendy his best advice for nutritionally sound ways to fuel her son’s growing body.

Wendy asks: A lot of kids on my son’s team use energy drinks, such as Red Bull, to help sustain their energy level during a game. I know this is not the healthiest alternative, but I am wondering if there are better options for quick energy. I find this is particularly important during tournaments when a player is going all day and does not have time to digest a full meal. What would you suggest?

Answer: It is true that energy drinks are hot right now. In fact, there are over 600 options on the market. However, it is important to question if they are guaranteed to boost performance…or shrink your wallet, at over per can.

Energy drinks are loaded with a multitude of ingredients, all purported to have different effects on the body. The mainstay of energy drinks is usually caffeine, typically about the same as amount as one cup of coffee (with some as high as three cups) or nearly double that of a 12 oz soda.

Caffeine is technically a drug and it is addicting. Relying on it for energy will result in continually needing more to get the same feeling. It can also increase heart rate, elevate anxiety and cause insomnia. None of these effects will help performance. In fact, they could hurt it. Furthermore, if an athlete consumes too much caffeine, it can ultimately be very dangerous.

Energy drinks are fairly high in sugar as well. Sugar is a carbohydrate, so it can provide energy but it will be short lived, as it is in and out of the bloodstream rather quickly. The right types of carbohydrates are necessary for optimal performance - sugar is not the right type.

With such a variety of drinks on the market, it is impossible to summarize each ingredient in each product. Most have high levels of B vitamins, purported to boost energy while others have amino acids, herbs, vitamins and minerals, each with their own unique properties.

With all this said, the truth is only food gives the real nutrients and energy athletes need. In essence, food is high-octane fuel for the body. To perform at your peak, you need to feed your body what it needs.

If your son truly wants an energy boost, he needs real foods. This includes lean protein, such as chicken, fish and lean red meat; whole grain carbohydrates, including oats, whole grain bread and whole-wheat pasta; fruits and vegetables; and healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado and egg yolks. Many of these options are not practical during tournament play, but it gives the overall idea of a healthy daily diet.

During tournaments, try fresh or dried fruit, homemade trail mix (dried fruit and small amount of raw nuts), yogurt or cheese sticks. If there is a long time between play, have your player eat something more substantial, such as peanut butter and jelly, peanut butter and banana or a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread. The key is to get some quality carbohydrates and lean protein throughout the day.

Editor’s Note: A special thank you to Dr. Christopher Mohr, PhD RD for this helpful advice.

How Twitter is Changing the Face of Recruiting

As one of the hottest social media tools available, Twitter is revolutionizing the way we communicate with each other. The following article is an excerpt from an interview with Chris Krause of the National Collegiate Scouting Association and the association’s Social Media Director, Brian Davidson. The two provide some interesting insight into how this social media phenomenon might impact the world of college recruiting.

Chris Krause: How long has Twitter been around? It seems like recently it has exploded in terms of popularity. What do you attribute this to?

Brian Davidson: It has only been around since 2006, but in March 2009 alone, Twitter had a growth rate of 1382%! I attribute this to a few factors. One, it is extremely easy to use for users and developers. This allows users to master it quickly, but also allows developers to create new computer programs to enhance the service.

Two, it is a very authentic relationship. Users “follow” other user updates. The conversation does not have to be two-way.

Also in sports in particular it allows users to control the message they send the world. Coaches do not need to use ESPN to talk to fans. They can communicate directly.

Chris Krause: How is Twitter currently being used in recruiting?

Brian Davidson: It is fascinating. At first Twitter was unquestionably best known in the Tech world. However, in the past 6 months, the amount of athletes and coaches using the service has taken off. At first, Shaq was the best known user but soon multiple athletes were using the service and their use brought a great deal of mainstream media exposure.

The first college coach to use the service that I know of was Pete Carroll. But now dozens, if not hundreds, of coaches are currently “tweeting” about their programs to showcase both their personality and their recruiting message.

Chris Krause: What is your opinion about the future of Twitter in recruiting?

Brian Davidson: I believe two things will happen. One, coaches will push the limits with Twitter and begin using it to contact recruits directly. Since it really is not a text message, the NCAA cannot regulate it like they can a phone. Coaches are essentially updating a website which would be very hard to legislate.

Secondly, I believe the NCAA will find a way to restrict coaches’ use of the service. At this point, I believe coaches will set up separate accounts only for recruits and ask them to contact the coaches directly. This would work the same way that coaches can currently take a phone call from a recruit at any time, but cannot always call a recruit.

However, in all honesty, the service is so new that it is very possible that someone will invent a new way to use Twitter for recruiting. My eyes are definitely watching to see what happens.

Chris Krause: What advice would you give recruits who are currently using or are thinking about creating an account?

Brian Davidson: I would make sure they keep their updates very professional, and be willing to share their updates with any college coach on the service.





Editor’s Note: Thank you to the NCSA for this valuable article.

Why is Sportsmanship So Important?

Helping your child understand the importance of sportsmanship will not only allow them to develop into a mature athlete, it will enable them to deal with difficult situations away from sports in a positive manner.

In a 2005 study by three midwestern universities, coaches of 9- to 15-year old athletes indicated a very high level of agreement with the statement, “Teaching sportsmanship is a major part of a coach’s job.” They also agreed strongly with the statement, “Coaches have a responsibility to help members of their team become better people, not just better athletes.”  The data suggests that there is a “strong desire by the parents and coaches to teach positive sports behaviors.”

The problem is that too many coaches are doing a miserable job of actually teaching sportsmanship and moral reasoning.  As Michael Josephson, head of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, notes, “Too many youngsters are confused about the meaning of fair play and sportsmanship and … have no concept of honorable competition. As a result they engage in illegal conduct and employ doubtful gamesmanship techniques to gain a competitive advantage.”

The winning-is-everything philosophy of youth sports is a major reason why children are thought to have such low moral reasoning abilities.  In an environment in which winning is paramount, children internalize the value that it is acceptable to do anything to win, even if it means cheating, bullying teammates, breaking the rules, intentionally injuring an opponent, or faking an injury to get a time out.

Part of the problem may be our culture.  Today’s society often excuses professional athletes who exhibit poor sportsmanship and practice “situational ethics” or “moral relativism,” in which there are no longer any absolute or moral truths and what is ethical behavior depends on the context .  In addition, coaches, parents, officials and youth sports organizations are not doing a good enough job teaching moral behavior to athletes.

As a society we would not find it acceptable if teachers encouraged their students to cheat on tests. Youth sports should be no different. Existing programs to teach athletes moral ethics and to help coaches to teach moral ethics should be expanded and instituted in every community. These programs help to teach decision-making, sportsmanship, competitive integrity, and competitive responsibility. These programs should include such topics as leadership, fair play, teamwork, respecting opposing players, cheating, consequences, and off-the-field behavior.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Elevating Athletes for this article.

Q&A: How Do I Motivate Parents to Volunteer?

The saying “it takes a village” is not just true in parenting, it also applies to youth sports. Keeping a team running smoothly is not just the responsibility of the coach. Rather, it requires help at all levels. Jim Johnson, founder and director of flexxCoach, offers the following advice on the age old issue of getting parents to volunteer.

Brenda asks: I know getting parents to volunteer has been a long struggle in youth sports, resulting in the same few parents picking up all the slack. I have players graduating out of our high school team this season, taking most of my regular volunteers. This causes a problem because I cannot get new parents to fill their spots. Do you have any solutions so as not to make parents angry but get them to help?

Answer: Volunteerism is a challenge at every level. If you can convey to the parents that this is an essential part of a “team” sport and can be reflected in the overall experience of both the player and the parent, that might motivate some of them. However, that being said, time can be extremely difficult to give for many families in the present economic landscape. Most people are happy to volunteer if the objectives and the expectations are well defined. In addition, it is imperative that the volunteers feel appreciated—including the volunteer coaches and managers.

Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Jim Johnson for his valuable advice.

How to Help Your Child Become a Lifelong Athlete

Parenting a youth athlete is full of pitfalls and pleasures.  Parents need to walk the fine line between encouragement and pressure.  Without proper parental discretion, too many children will quit sports before they reach their full potential. The following article is an excerpt of an interview Executive Editor TK Stohlman conducted with the author of “Just Let the Kids Play,” youth sports expert and former NBA player, Bob Bigelow.

Stohlman: I recently read in a Michigan State study that 70 percent of children quit youth sports by age 13.  Is that true?

Bigelow: Yes. The largest age group playing an organized sport in the United States, are ten years olds.  But by thirteen years old, seventy percent of them have left.  Thirteen is roughly seventh or eighth grade.  I have sat in middle school auditoriums and out looked at a bunch of  kids and I saw six foot girls and four foot boys side by side.  It makes me wonder about their sport experiences.  Who has been coaching them?  Have they already been told that they are not an athlete?  Sometimes it makes me cringe.  Especially since  the person who told them they weren’t going to be an athlete is often a butcher, baker or candlestick maker.  They were probably a volunteer and probably a pretty nice person, but they got caught up in winning because that’s what the system demands.

Stohlman: Okay, so if those are the stats, Bob, looking at travel, select and again looking at the drop-out rate, what are some solutions?  What are some ways to help kids continue to play and have successful seasons?  What are some tips for parents who want to see their kids play through high school and continue to play even as adults?

Bigelow: Without getting into magic formulas, and there are not any, all politics are local in this country and nothing is more political than  youth sports.  When you are dealing with sports and kids, you are dealing with human emotions, as well as the child’s satisfaction and elevation within the whole sphere of the sports world in a given community.  So, I tell parents, at the younger ages when kids are joining, if you want to shape this, reshape it or tweak it you have got to get on the boards and attend the meetings just like you would for school committees and boards.  You have got to have a voice.

I live in a community in suburban Boston, and I have been on the youth basketball board now for 25 years.  I know exactly how it works, but for the first ten years I was pretty clueless.  After ten years I reshaped the program to fit the philosophy that I now share with the rest of the world.  But to be honest, there are too many closed youth sports shops in this country.  Mostly men who have been around too long and use the program as their own little play toy.  I know it  can be very difficult sometimes to bang on the door and say, “Let me in, I’ve got ideas, maybe even different ideas than you guys.”

Stohlman: So, your advice is to get on the board…

Bigelow: Get involved.

Stohlman:…become involved with the association and be more or less a change agent.

Bigelow: Yes. You can change from inside with less difficulty.  You can also change it from the outside, but it’s not going to be easy.

Stohlman: So once parents get involved and they join the boards, can you offer certain things for which parents should strive?  I know we’ve discussed playing time before, time on, time off; but are there certain standards that youth sports associations should go by to help kids continue to play?

Bigelow: Yes. You just mentioned the biggie there: playing time.  This is a huge issue.  To me there is no more important issue with a child in sports, because of all the studies done at Michigan State and elsewhere, the number one need for a child in sports is to play.  That is the invaluable truth from ages five to nineteen.  So a good marker, a good determination from the organizational standpoint is, how much are you allowing children to play?

Stohlman: If playing time is the biggest need of a child in sports and we have got parents who are getting involved on the boards, how do they ensure that there are some rules in place?

Bigelow: They have to mandate it.  If you don’t mandate it, too many adults out there who want to win will take over your organization.

Stohlman: And what do they mandate?

Bigelow: You mandate, very simply, the size of your teams and how much playing time everybody must get.  Write it out on paper so if your coaches don’t want to do it, they don’t have to coach.  That is the carrot on the end of a stick for the kids.  There is one truth about kids in sports - they want to play not watch.

Editor’s Note: A special thanks to Bob Bigelow for this interview.

The Smart Hockey Training Ball – On-Ice Feel on Any Surface

The  Smart Hockey Training Ball provides players the ability to practice stickhandling skills on any off-ice surface.  The ball mimics the feel of an actual puck and works on virtually any surface.  So is it worth it? Here is our review of the Smart Hockey Training Ball:

Overview: The Smart Hockey Training Ball is recognized as the #1 off-ice training ball in the world. It can be found in the locker rooms of NHL and leading college hockey teams.

Purpose: The core, weight, height, bounce and slide of the Smart Hockey Training Ball are matched to mimic the feel of an ice puck while playing on any off-ice surface. It is a helpful training aid that enables players to work on summer dry land stickhandling.

Price: $9.95 for 1 ball

Video: Here is a video demonstrating some drills using the Smart Hockey Training  Ball.



Smart Hockey Training Ball Features:

• The patented 2-piece ball technology combines Surlyn® shell with high-density, low rebound space-age thermoplastic core to give training ball the exact feel of an ice hockey puck.


• The solid core covered by the surlyn shell eliminates any pliancy or "smushing" of the ball between the stick and the skating surface  regardless of the training surface.


• The ball is slightly lighter than an ice hockey puck to compensate for the extra friction of off-ice surfaces; the difference in weight makes the ball "feel" like a puck, making it ideal to help develop puck control, shooting and passing.


• The diameter of ball is 2.1875 in, making it only one tenth of an inch higher than an ice hockey puck.


• When dropped from a vertical distance of three feet a frozen ice hockey puck and the SmartHockey ball only bounce 11 in.

Parent and Player Perspective: For practicing stickhandling only—no shots—the Smart Hockey Training Ball is ideal. Unlike street hockey balls, it’s the same weight as a standard puck (although heavier than the blue pucks that Mites use), offering a more realistic feel. And unlike training pucks, it’s taller and doesn’t flip over, making it easier to manipulate on non-slick surfaces such as carpet or sport courts. The ball glides nicely, particularly if you tape and wax the blade of your stick. All the testers found the Smart Hockey Training Ball to be a fun and addictive pastime, offering great bang for your 10 or so bucks. One warning: Don’t shoot it. Lifting a ball is so different from lifting a puck that you won’t learn anything, but you may very well break something.

Final period: The Smart Hockey Training Ball is the #1 selling ball worldwide and used by many top professional and amateur players. It is a valuable training aid that will improve your player's stickhandling skills. For more information on the Smart Hockey Training Ball, please visit HockeyShot.com

Editor's Note: For a limited-time, when you use the code “teamcares″ at HockeyShot.com, you will receive 10% off any purchase.

Four Ways to Help Your Child Handle Stressful Situations

Learning a new sport can be a very stressful situation for some kids.  The pressure of meeting new people, learning a new game and having to put all the skills together in a game situation can be overwhelming for a young athlete. The following article provides input on how to help your child deal with stress during youth sports activities.

How Can Stress Affect Performance? Stress is a feeling that’s created when we react to particular events. It’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation with focus, strength, stamina, and heightened alertness. A little stress or the right kind of positive stress can help keep you on your toes, ready to rise to a challenge.

The events that provoke stress are called stressors, and they cover a whole range of situations - everything from outright danger to stepping up to take the foul shot that could win the game. Stress can also be a response to change or anticipation of something that’s about to happen - good or bad. People can feel stress over positive challenges, like making the varsity team, as well as negative ones.

Distress is a bad type of stress that arises when you must adapt to too many negative demands. Suppose you had a fight with a close friend last night, you forgot your homework this morning and you’re playing in a tennis match this afternoon. You try to get psyched for the game but can’t. You’ve hit stress overload! Continuous struggling with too much stress can exhaust your energy and drive.

Eustress is the good type of stress that stems from the challenge of taking part in something that you enjoy but have to work hard for. Eustress pumps you up, providing a healthy spark for any task you undertake.

What Can I Do to Ease Pressure? When the demands of competition start to get to you, try these relaxation techniques:

• Deep breathing: Find a quiet place to sit down. Inhale slowly through your nose, drawing air deep into your lungs. Hold your breath for about 5 seconds, then release it slowly. Repeat the exercise five times.


• Muscle relaxation: Contract (flex) a group of muscles tightly. Keep them tensed for about 5 seconds, then release. Repeat the exercise five times, selecting different muscle groups.


• Visualization: Close your eyes and picture a peaceful place or an event from your past. Recall the beautiful sights and the happy sounds. Imagine stress flowing away from your body. You can also visualize success. People who advise competitive players often recommend that they imagine themselves completing a pass, making a shot, or scoring a goal over and over. Then on game day, you can recall your stored images to help calm nerves and boost self-confidence.


• Mindfulness: Watch out for negative thoughts. Whether you’re preparing for a competition or coping with a defeat, repeat to yourself: “I learn from my mistakes!” “I’m in control of my feelings!” “I can make this goal!”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kid’s Health for this article.

Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 – Power Blade

This article is part of the ongoing Let’s Play Hockey Expo 2009 series presented by DailySportsDeal.com. The Let’s Play Hockey Expo is the largest consumer hockey expo in the U.S.  In this segment, Executive Editor TK Stohlman interviews  J.J. Rosener of Power Blade.

Power Blade is a revolutionary weighted hockey stick that helps players develop stickhandling and passing skills.  For more information on Power Blade, visit their website at www.powerbladehockey.com.

Q&A: What Drills Help Build Puckhandling Skills?

Keeping skills fresh and motivating players to practice during the summer months can be a difficult job. In the following article, President and Director of the New England Hockey Institute, Dennis Chighisola provides some excellent puckhandling drills to keep your player going strong in the summer months.

Susan asks: Are there any drills you would recommend to help my player build puckhandling skills?

Answer: One easy and very inexpensive tool that can be used virtually anywhere is a baseball-sized balloon. Players practice with the balloon in the air to work on dribbling and other techniques.  The idea behind the balloon is that  practically anything a kid wants to try is possible.  It is big and light, and tends to be slow moving.  Still, almost every time a balloon is tapped, it spins off in an unpredictable way causing the player to react quickly in order to make the next tap.

Next, consider a small wooden Swedish stickhandling ball or a golf ball (although the wooden balls are less bouncy).  I believe practicing with a small ball will help a player develop better puck skills.  As the player becomes more advanced they can try bringing the ball through and around each foot, and even combine stick dribbles with passes off one foot and then off the other.

It is best to opt for lightness when it comes to selecting substitutes for a puck.  I suggest this because quick hand movements are the mark of a good puckhandler and the right props will allow, or even encourage, quick reactions.

Best of luck Susan! I hope this helps. If you have any other questions or comments, please feel free to comment below.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Dennis Chighisola (Coach Chic) for his valuable input on this question.

6 Ways Coaches Can Improve Team Performance

Youth coaches sometimes joke that the ideal youth team is a one full of orphans. Though this approach is one solution to problem parents, there are other practical ways for coaches to work with parents.

One of the best is regular communication between coaches and parents. Everything a coach does with the team is in parental view. In the absence of coaching guidance, parents form and communicate their own opinions regarding the status of the team and the steps necessary for improvement. Some parents may be objective and knowledgeable about the sport, but if they don’t speak up, then the overall team opinion may be shaped by others.

For coaches, parent-to-parent and parent-to-player communications can distract their efforts to make team improvements. Coaches should consider regular short meetings with all parents to help shape positive opinions and give parents better insight into what to watch for in games and practices.

In a recent survey of coaches and parents, over 60% thought that coaches should at least meet occasionally with parents after a game. In these meetings, here are six topics coaches might cover:

1. Recent team performance giving parents insight into the progress the team is or is not making in various areas.


2. Approaches taken in practices that are attempting to shape game performance.


3. Re-emphasis of team goals and objectives.


4. Realistic guidance concerning upcoming game and practice performance.


5. Positive comments concerning every player (Mentioning only a few players may raise more parent concerns).


6. Reminding parents to praise their player’s efforts and encourage their kids to have fun and develop a love for the game.

The overall test of a youth coach is whether his players have fun, learn new skills and want to play again next season. Yet, in the emotions of a game or issue, these ideas can get lost or seem secondary. Coaches need to have the courage and conviction to keep parents working toward these goals. This requires regular and consistent communication.

The temptation to avoid parental contact only amplifies problems over time, allowing small problems to become large as the season moves on. Parents help judge the success of coaches, teams and seasons. In the absence of information, their judgments will vary greatly based on their own experiences and knowledge.

With information, parents gain better appreciation for the challenges coaches face and continue to learn how they can best support their child’s efforts.

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Sports Esteem for this article.

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