Helping Student Athletes Perform Their Best + Dick's Gift Card & Gatorade Giveaway

If you have a child that is active in sports, perhaps you have already heard of Brooke de Lench. If you have not, she is a good person to know.  She is a mom, former athlete, youth coach, author and founder of the sports parenting resource website MomsTeam.

On her website, Brooke addresses such topics as health & safety, nutrition and much more.  You will find videos and forums covering many topics, but definitely focusing on sports, kids and parenting.

My husband played tennis in high school and I talked to him about it.  He told me it was sometimes hard to find the time to fit in his homework, tennis practice, matches and his music commitments because he played trumpet in a few school groups. It was a juggling act taking care of his body too so that he would perform his best during his matches.  

Brooke addresses some of these issues with 5 points:

Helping Student Athletes Perform Their Best

With the school sports season underway, the nation’s 30 million middle and high school athletes face challenges like never before. Competition for roster spots, playing time and athletic scholarships is at an all-time high. Mothers of these athletes are equally challenged with ensuring their kids perform their best in school and on the playing field. Brooke de Lench recommends the following game plan:

Blow the Whistle at Bedtime. Studies show that students need nine hours of sleep but only get about seven. Set a consistent “lights out” time for turning off the computer, cell phone and television so young athletes get the rest they need. Consider docking texting and gaming devices away from their bedroom to reduce late-night distractions.

Fuel the Burn. Active young athletes need at least 3,000 calories per day for peak performance, so they need to eat very frequently. Help them maintain energy throughout the day by sending them off with healthy, high-carb, low-fat snacks such as energy bars, trail mix or dried fruit to munch at their desks (if it’s ok with the teacher). Students with early morning workouts should eat two breakfasts – one before the workout and one before school. So, send athletes to practice with a snack to help them recover and refuel.

Be Proactive About Hydration. Staying hydrated during the school day is challenging. In fact, studies show that many student athletes start their sports already dehydrated, making it difficult for them to catch up during activity. For safety and performance reasons athletes need to be hydrated no matter what the season, and water isn’t enough because it doesn’t hydrate as effectively as a sports drink like Gatorade that is scientifically formulated with fluid, electrolytes and carbohydrates to rapidly replace what athletes lose through sweat and provide energy to keep them at the top of their game.

Use Sports Sense to Power Schoolwork. Great athletes are disciplined, focused and dedicated. Help young athletes channel these qualities to manage their schoolwork as well. Encourage them to use free time at school to review notes or knock off smaller assignments. Also, coach them to tackle the tough stuff first. Young athletes will be tired after sports, so they should finish priority and difficult homework earlier in the day.

Don’t Forget the Fun. Youth sports may be increasingly competitive, but the top reason kids play sports is to enjoy the game. Look out for warning signs that students are struggling to enjoy the experience, and work with them to find a solution. Warning signs include: complaints of sickness at practice or game time; slow return to practice after injury; nervousness, anxiety or anger before, during or after the game; practices well but plays poorly.

Thanks to Gatorade, one lucky My Springfield Mommy reader will win a Gatorade Fuel Pack which will include a 6-pack of Gatorade 02 Perform and a Dick's Sporting Goods gift card. 

Giveaway will end at 8pm on Friday, November 26th
Winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced on Saturday
Winners are responsible for replying with shipping info.

Want to win?
*Tell me what advice you would give to your child to help them balance school and sports

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Thanks to Gatorade for my Fuel Pack as well as the giveaway winner

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