Team Sports: The Benefits of Sport Participation

There are so many reasons why you should encourage your children to participate in sports.  In addition to the physical benefits, sport participation has been proven to raise IQ, build confidence, and improve mental health.  Outside of the field sport participation helps children to become champions in life.  Here are some reasons why (Derived from: sheknows Canada):

1.   They teach you how to get along with others: Organized sports teach children the essential life skill of getting along with teammates they might not necessarily like. Team sports teach children how to overlook an annoying teammate or a bad attitude. They also encourage friendship and empathy for fellow teammates.

2.   Engaging in competition: Making sure everyone gets along comes down to one simple word: respect. By noticing the strengths that each individual player brings to the team, they'll learn to appreciate and respect each others' talents. It's healthy to be competitive, but respect fosters a friendly competition that pushes each teammate to be the best he can be.  In addition, team sports will give your youngsters something to take pride in. Once they achieve goals they set for themselves, they'll gain pride in their success and confidence in their skills.

3.   Leadership:  Children playing team sports have to learn how to achieve balance between their schoolwork and athletics, which fosters a strong work ethic both on and off the court.

4.   Life isn’t always fair: Kids must learn that in the real world life isn't always fair, unfortunately their team won't always win, and every call by the referee won't always seem fair. Dealing with disappointment will only make your youngsters stronger as they grow older. 

5.   Boosts self-esteem: Team sports are a huge self-esteem booster.  They'll gain greater confidence by learning about their own strengths and capabilities. 

It is easy to see after reading the above how impactful team sports can be on the positive development of children.  Inside Youth Sports also has some great articles on The Role of Organized Sports in Your Child's Life.

One of our very own players for AIC Hockey believes hockey has had a tremendous positive impact on his life.  Listen to Chris Porter speak about sport participation in this quick audio clip: 

Eat Right for Competition

One of the most important factors to consider when you are a competitive athlete is your nutrition.  Nutrition can have a major impact on your competition level and success.  Aside from having a personal nutritionist/cook it can be challenging to eat the right nutrients at the right time.  As college students living on a budget it can be even tougher to make sure you are getting adequate nutrition to be the best you can be. 

Here are some general guidelines for athletes according to Eat Right (Source: Nutrition Tips for Young Athletes):

Eat a Good Breakfast

Start the day with a breakfast containing carbs (such as whole-wheat bread or cereal) and a source of protein (such as eggs, yogurt or milk). Oatmeal made with milk; last night's dinner leftovers; an egg sandwich; or a smoothie made with fruit, yogurt and milk are all great breakfast choices.

Don't Light-Load or Skip Lunch

Many student athletes compete after school making lunch an essential fuel source for competition. Lunch should be hearty and represent as many food groups as possible, including whole grains, lean protein, fruit, vegetables and low-fat dairy. You might think opting for a light lunch such as a salad — or even skipping lunch altogether — will leave you light on your feet, but instead, it may leave your tank empty at game time.

Focus on Carbs for Energy

Choose whole-grain bread, crackers, cereal and pasta for lasting energy. Save the sports drinks for an energy boost during endurance sports or training sessions lasting more than an hour.

Spread out Protein Foods

Muscles love protein. It helps them stay strong, recover from intense exercise and build more muscle over time. Young athletes should spread protein foods throughout the day, having some at each meal and with most snacks, such as deli meat on a sandwich at lunch or an egg with breakfast.

Use Caution with Fatty Foods

Fatty foods slow digestion, which is not ideal for the athlete facing a competition. Greasy, fried foods and fatty desserts are filling and may leave you tired and sluggish on the courts. Skip the french fries or pizza before competition, and keep the fat content on the light side.

Eat with Food Safety in Mind

Nothing is worse than food poisoning – having stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea after eating. Make sure you store snacks at proper temperatures to prevent spoilage. Keep cheese, yogurt, deli meats, eggs and salads made with mayonnaise in a refrigerator or cooler. Shelf-stable items such as nuts, granola bars and fresh fruit can be tossed into your duffel bag without a problem.

Flow with Fluids

Dehydration is a recipe for poor performance. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water during the day leading up to a game, especially in the two to three hours before game time. Continue to drink during the game (about a 1/2 cup every 15 minutes) and afterward to rehydrate after sweat loss.

Timing Is Everything

When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Your body needs two to three hours to digest a regular meal such as breakfast or lunch before competition, while a small snack such as a granola bar can be eaten 30 minutes to an hour before competition. Here's good advice for eating before a competition: load up at meals but don't overeat, and keep snacks light as you get closer game time.

Eat right offers so many nutrition tips and is an extension of the Academy of Nutrition and Dieticians.  Visit their website for more interesting nutrition tips Eat Right. 

In the following video Glenn Vergie discusses the quickest and healthiest way to improve your workouts and training. He believes that eating properly improves stamina and allows athletes to maintain the level of exercise that you need to succeed.  

Athletic Training for Elite Hockey Players

Working out year-round is a must for elite athletes.  In order to keep your body in the best shape possible and prepare for competition you must engage in “seasons” of training.  Training that you do in your off season should be very different than your training in season to maximize progress.

Breaking your annual workout schedule into seasons works very well.  This not only maximizes progress but keeps athlete safe from avoidable injuries.  As hockey is a long season, the players spend the majority of their annual workout schedule with their trainers and teams in season.  The goal during this time is maintenance, to keep the athletes healthy and strong.  Building typically takes place after the active rest cycle prior to the season.  Below is a sample calendar of what a hockey player’s annual workout schedule might look like.

For sample periodization schedules and workouts the following sites offer some great advice: XCONDITIONING or BODYBUILDING.