Foods for function - What to eat to achieve optimum athletic performance

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It's no secret that food struggles go well beyond just teenage girls these days. You see it everywhere. Just a simple Google search for "Trending health topics" lands you 215 MILLION results. So to say that health, fitness, and proper nutrition are hot topics these days would simply be the understatement of the century.
That said, how do you know what food is really best for you to eat before, during, and after play? Well, we did a little research, and here's what we found...
Top 5 energy foods
Now, some of these won't surprise you, but some might. With a media struggle against carbohydrates beginning a few years back, it's easy for us all to be scared of the "C" word (carbs). But in reality, good carbohydrates are your bodies' fuel for a solid workout (according to this article and many more we found), or, in your case, peak performance throughout an entire tournament. In light of the second round of the Colorado Crossroads National Qualifier coming up this weekend, we thought we'd share some tips on what yummy foods you can gobble down before, during, and after play to maintain your energy levels and be just as on fire during day three as you were day one.

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1. Blueberries
Who knew the cute little blue fruit could provide abounding energy levels? We found that just one cup (around only 80 calories, mind you) can not only provide necessary fuel for your body, but some studies have shown the immune-system building fruit also can improve balance and coordination. Yes, please!

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2. Whole wheat pasta
This one probably doesn't come as a surprise to many of you. After all, when you think "carb up!" your mind probably wanders to the nearest Italian food restaurant (hello delish!). This healthy treat is packed with fiber and protein but be careful not to overdo it. You want this dish to speed you up, not weigh you down.

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3. Sweet potatoes
Surprise! We'd never heard this one before, but after reading this article it makes total sense. They said it best, so we'll simply quote them...
"A sweet potato also packs in more than a quarter of your daily needs for vitamins C and E, nutrients shown to prevent cell damage in athletes competing in extreme environments (altitude, heat, cold, pollution), as well as enhance muscle recovery after intense training."
A little tidbit we'd like to add... something tells us that piling on the butter and brown sugar slightly decreases the nutritious value of this gem. We suggest looking up some healthy ways to enjoy this power-packed food.

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4. Oranges
Who doesn't like a yummy, juicy orange? It brightened our day (and made us say, "Hmm, why didn't we think of that?") to learn what a good energy booster this little ball of fruit can be during play. The natural sugar gives you just the quick fix you need, and just one navel orange meets an entire day's requirement of vitamin C, this article said. Woohoo!

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5. Oatmeal
In researching we found that this is one of the best foods you can eat for breakfast before a tournament. It can help provide long lasting energy as it is digested more slowly throughout the day (whereas foods like bagels are digested faster, according to this site). For more on healthy eating for an athlete, we found this site to be helpful.

Overall, what you put in your mouth does affect your ability to compete at your highest level. Trust us. Even if you don't trust us, trust the millions of articles we found that have research to prove it. At the same time, what you don't put in your mouth can also affect your ability to compete at your best. Remember, as an athlete one of the worst things you can do is restrict your diet. Don't overdo it by overeating, and don't overdo it by not eating at all. Find a healthy medium by putting nutritious fuel into your body. You'll be amazed at the results.
Happy eating!
- Amarillo Juniors
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Winning the battle; Raising champions in athletics

Parents of athletes ask yourselves, "Overall, what do I hope for my daughter to gain from her club volleyball experience?"
Team coaches ask yourselves, "Overall, what do I hope my athletes will learn from me during this season?"
Players, ask yourselves, "Ultimately, what do I hope to walk away with at the end of my volleyball career?"

Making your high school team... a college scholarship... coming away with irreplaceable life skills and experiences?

These questions are important to ask so that we stay focused and on-task with our expectations and requirements. It's important that we are moving forward toward our ultimate goals.

As a club we came off of an extremely successful weekend of play last week. Eight of our 11 teams playing ended up top 5, and 9 of the 11 made it to the gold brackets of their divisions, 2 took home the gold championship, 2 got second in gold, 3 got third in gold, 1 won the silver championship...
That was one mighty successful tournament weekend!
However, coming off that weekend our club was faced with multiple situations in which a parent or player was unhappy about playing time.
Ohhh, playing time.
Such a difficult topic, but an important one to address all the same.
Our club philosophy is heavily focused on training. It does not guarantee "equal" playing time in any age group, and once at the level of 14s time on the court is not guaranteed at all.

But when we say we're training-focused, what do we mean?

"We view the training process to be the most important aspect and we do guarantee that your daughter will be trained correctly in every skill set," said Amarillo Juniors Club Director and 15 Royal Coach Stephanie Bankhead. "One of my favorite things about volleyball is I feel it is the ultimate team sport, as it is the smallest playing area with the greatest amount of people playing together in any sport.

I want to encourage all of the parents in our club to see the big picture of what playing volleyball can teach our children about life."

What is our club goal? To help our athletes learn how to win the battles they are faced with on and off the court.

"Amarillo Juniors. We create champions in athletics."

It is no secret that we are living in an "era of entitlement." You can ask any employer, and it is getting worse by the year. There are many steps we, as a volleyball club, take to battle this era and develop athletes that are hard working, flexible and well-rounded.
Success only comes after a battle. So how do we train our athletes and our daughters to win the battle?

1. Nothing is freely given and all opportunities have to be earned.

How often have you received a job opportunity having done no work toward achieving that position? Have you received a raise or promotion at work without working hard for it and proving that you are capable? Do you get an "A" in school for sitting at your desk and putting forth no effort? Absolutely not. This concept can go even further into these young women's lives as they venture on through marriage and raising a family. Do you have a healthy, happy marriage and family life if you don't work at it, day in and day out? Everything in life takes work, and most everything in life is a battle.
On the volleyball court, these young women have to compete for their positions. They have to put forth the effort in the areas of their attitude, readiness to adjust, teamwork, and skills. This is a great training tool and practice realm for them to see that opportunities are earned, not freely given.

2. How to overcome adversity.
Adversity can present itself in a multitude of forms, but it is an ever-present companion throughout our lives. Some experience more than others, but we all are faced with it. Like this blog points out, on the court, adversity can come from your opponent. In our sport, it can also come from player to player relationships, coach frustrations, parent upsets, and more. The athletes have an opportunity to learn how to a) not be afraid of adversity when it presents itself b) make necessary adjustments to overcome the adversity c) rely on the team structure and dynamic to conquer the adverse situation. Through facing adversity we gain strength. Are you allowing your children to face adversity or sheltering them from it? 
"I'm the parent of two adult children and remember how difficult it was on me as their mom when they had problems in their lives. I wanted to just snap my fingers and make things better for them. However, in my season of now being a grandparent, I realize that allowing our kids to work through adversity while they are young and still in the nest, so to speak, enables them to handle the BIG adversity the world will throw their way as adults," director Stephanie Bankhead said.

3. The "we" is greater than the "me."
Team sports are about the best platform we can think of to teach our children how to work, function, and be successful as a unit. Regardless of positions, each player has a role to fulfill on the team. When each player stands up and fulfills her role, the team dynamic is strengthened and goals are reached.
This concept, like the others we've discussed, so easily fits in to the big picture of life. We will continually make sacrifices in our lives for our "teams"... be it our family "team," or our workplace "team." Teaching our athletes that the unit is greater and stronger than the individual creates cohesion. A team who has one another's backs and stays focused on working together may lose a battle or two, but they will definitely win the war.

In life we very seldom have gain without pain, and we've all heard the famous saying, "Life's not fair." Regardless of its cliche' nature, it is true.

"The world is not 'fair' nor is it 'equal' and we need to teach our children that they will need to work hard in life, things don't always go our way, we are right to put others' needs ahead of our own and that everything usually all works out well in the long run if we just keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep our faith," Bankhead says. 

We are so grateful to have the opportunity to help guide our athletes to success on the court through our cohesive skill training programs. We are even more grateful to have the opportunity to help guide our athletes to successes in their lives through our ventures on the court throughout the seasons.

How do you win your battles? Have you overcome a particular battle that you'd like to share?
Email your story to info@amarillojrs.com for the chance to be featured on our blog!

Congrats to all of our teams last weekend and good luck this weekend!
- Amarillo Juniors

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