Nor Cal Play Date # 1

Sunday, 2/11/2018

Woodland, Ca.

7 Ways to Deal With Heat at Soccer Practice

When I was a young player rising through the ranks, my coaches impressed upon me the need to be aggressive, both physically and mentally. This helped me not only improve my soccer abilities but also helped me in various aspects of my life. Looking back, I believe some of my coaches were wrong on one item in particular.

I was taught that being tough meant I should mentally block out weather conditions around me, including extreme heat. I'd often hear "play through it" and "it will make you stronger" from well-meaning soccer training coaches. I now think that during extreme hot days we should have had lighter practices instead of heavier ones.

Some coaches took advantage of hot days to push their players even harder in trying to develop them. They believed that physical pain during practice meant a better player during the game. Nothing could be further from the truth. And nothing could be more dangerous as well.

Bodies have trouble cooling themselves on hot humid days. If the air is already saturated with water in the form of vapor, sweat won't evaporate as easily. Essentially, sweat has nowhere to go except remain on the skin. Therefore body sweat is a less effective cooling agent, and the body retains extra heat. Hot, humid conditions put players at risk of heat exhaustion.

Hot and humid conditions are worse for kids, not only because they're more active but also because kids have more trouble regulating their body temperature than do adults. To provide for players' safety in hot or humid conditions, take the following preventative measures when coaching youth soccer.

*Encourage players to drink plenty of water before, during, and after practice. Water makes up to 65 percent of a youth player's body weight, and losing even a small amount of water can cause severe consequences in the body's systems. It doesn't have to be hot and humid for players to become dehydrated, nor is thirst an accurate indicator. Usually by the time players are aware of their thirst they are long overdue for a drink.

*Monitor weather conditions and adjust training sessions accordingly.

*Acclimatize players to exercising in high heat and humidity. Players can adjust to high heat and humidity in 7-10 days. During the period, hold practices at low to moderate levels of activity and give the players fluid breaks every 20 minutes

*Switch to light, white-colored clothing.

*Identify and monitor players who are prone to heat illness. These include players who are overweight, muscular, out of shape, and who work very hard. Those that have experienced previous heat illness are more prone to getting heat illness as well. Keep an eye on these children and give them drink breaks every 15 minutes. For very young players, such as the U6 group, give even more breaks.

*Make sure players replace fluids lost through sweat. Encourage players to drink 2-3 hours before practices or games and every 20 minutes during and after practice. Fluids such as water and sports drinks are preferable during games and practices. For younger athletes, it's better to use water instead of sports drinks.

*Replenish electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, which are lost through sweat. The best way to replace these nutrients in addition to others such as carbohydrate and protein is by eating a balanced diet.
We've all heard in the media about professional athletes who pushed too hard during practices that resulted in tragic consequences. These were strong, tough people. Don't make the mistake of thinking you'll make a mentally stronger team by pushing your kids through intolerable elements.

By Rob Smith • SurefireSoccer.com

Read More on Active.com

Dump the after game snacks and hand out the CHOCOLATE MILK.

Yes, you heard me right. Believe it or not I was finally right about a “theory” I have had for several years.

When you take a look sports drinks they have very similar attributes to those of chocolate milk. My assumption was that there would be little difference between children drinking chocolate milk after a soccer game vs. a sports drink. Guess what? It looks like I was right.

Indiana University conducted a study in conjunction with a grant from the dairy council. They wanted to put “my” theory to the test. The results were just as I thought they would be. “As compared to the commercial products tested, (sports recovery drinks), chocolate milk is an effective recovery aid following exhausting exercise.”

Why is chocolate milk good for youth soccer players after a game?

The study found that athletes who drank chocolate milk after an intense bout of exercise were able to workout longer and with more power during a second workout compared to athletes who drank commercial sports beverages.

I have also been a fan of drinks that incorporate protein in their carbohydrate formula. (Such as Accelerade.) Researchers stated, "Chocolate milk contains an optimal carbohydrate to protein ratio, which is critical for helping refuel tired muscles after strenuous exercise and can enable athletes to exercise at a high intensity during subsequent workouts."

Some common sense points…

1) Kids don’t drink to “re-hydrate” like athletes. They drink only when they are thirsty or when something tastes good. Tricking them into drinking more because something tastes great makes sense for any one who has dealt with young athletes.

2) The addition of protein is good for muscle recovery, growth and refueling.

3) Milk is naturally high in Potassium. My kids don’t like bananas.

Confirming these results was a study by Dr. Janet Walberg-Rankin and co-workers at Virginia Tech. This study compared body composition and muscle function responses to resistance training in males who consumed a carb drink (Gatorade) or chocolate milk following each training session. Chocolate milk consumption immediately after each workout tended to increase lean body mass and body weight compared to supplementation with carbs. This study clearly shows that carbs-only post-exercise beverages don’t cut it.

The one thing you want to keep however is that you want to select a non-fat or skim chocolate milk. Forty-eight percent of the calories in whole milk come from fat; 33 percent of the calories in 2% milk come from fat; 20 percent of the calories in 1% milk come from fat, and 0 percent of the calories from skim milk come from fat. So, when reaching for chocolate milk as your post-workout recovery drink of choice, choose the non-fat version.

Before you start laughing about handing out chocolate milk after a game, think about the junk in the snack box they’re about to eat.

Hey, if it’s my choice between a soda and a hot dog or a large jug of chocolate milk, you know which one I will choose.

-Coach V.
www.SoccerU.com

Extended Sleep Improves The Athletic Performance Of Collegiate Basketball Players
Stanford study is the first to document how sleep extension affects the performance of actively competing athletes

DARIEN, Ill. – A study in the July 1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that sleep extension is beneficial to athletic performance, reaction time, vigor, fatigue and mood in collegiate basketball players. The study is the first to document sleep extension and the athletic performance of actively competing athletes.

Results of objective measurements show that the mean total sleep time per night during sleep extension was 110.9 minutes longer than at baseline. Indices of athletic performance specific to basketball were measured after every practice to assess changes in performance. Speed during 282-foot sprints improved significantly from 16.2 seconds at baseline to 15.5 seconds after sleep extension, and shooting accuracy increased significantly by nine percent on both free throws and three-point field goals. Subjects also reported improved overall ratings of physical and mental well-being during practices and games.

"Following multiple weeks of sleep extension, elite athletes demonstrated improvements in specific indicators of basketball athletic performance including higher shooting percentages and faster sprint times," said lead author Cheri D. Mah, MS, researcher at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory in Stanford, Calif. "Subjects also demonstrated faster reaction time, decreased levels of daytime sleepiness, and mood improvements."

The study involved 11 healthy students on the Stanford University men's varsity basketball team and was conducted during two basketball seasons from 2005 to 2008. Participants had a mean age of 19 years and an average height of about six feet and four inches. Eight of the players were guards, two were forwards and one was a center.

Total sleep time was measured objectively by actigraphy. The players maintained their habitual sleep-wake schedule for a baseline period of two to four weeks during the NCAA basketball season, sleeping for an average of less than seven hours per night. The following period of sleep extension lasted five to seven weeks, during which the participants obtained as much nocturnal sleep as possible with a minimum goal of 10 hours in bed per night. Objective mean total sleep time during sleep extension was nearly 8.5 hours per night.

Participants shot 10 free throws from 15 feet, making an average of 7.9 shots at baseline and 8.8 shots at the end of the sleep extension period. They also attempted 15 three-point field goals, making an average of 10.2 shots at baseline and 11.6 shots after sleep extension. The timed sprint involved running from baseline to half-court and back to baseline, then the full 94-foot length of the court and back to baseline. Reaction time, levels of daytime sleepiness, and mood were monitored using the Psychomotor Vigilance Task, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and Profile of Mood States.

Mah said that she was especially intrigued to find that sleep extension was associated with improvements in diverse basketball skills.

"It was interesting to note that sleep extension significantly improved different measures of physical performance in basketball from shooting percentages to sprinting times," she said.

According to Mah, an athlete's nightly sleep requirement should be considered integral to attaining peak performance in all levels of sports. She offered these tips to help athletes improve their performance by maximizing their sleep:

·Prioritize sleep as a part of your regular training regimen.

·Extend nightly sleep for several weeks to reduce your sleep debt before competition.

·Maintain a low sleep debt by obtaining a sufficient amount of nightly sleep (seven to nine hours for adults, nine or more hours for teens and young adults).

·Keep a regular sleep-wake schedule, going to bed and waking up at the same times every day.

·Take brief 20-30 minute naps to obtain additional sleep during the day, especially if drowsy.

Mah presented preliminary results from this study at SLEEP 2007, the 21st annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, in Minneapolis, Minn. The results are consistent with similar research she has performed at Stanford involving men and women who compete in other sports such as football, tennis, and swimming.

Juggling Rewards

Our 08 Boys Black is already

participating in our

Bead Key Chain Rewards program

and now the

08 Girls White will too. 

Practice your juggling

and get your first

set of beads

at 16 juggles in a row!!!

U9 - U13 GK Coach - James Del Curto of Sacramento State 

Throughout the season

we have and will

test the players

with their juggling capabilities

in order to encourage

practicing at home

and tracking their improved skills.

The tests are (1) Juggling continuously

for 2 minutes counting

the highest score

and (2) Juggling continuously

moving with a goal distance of 10 yards.

08G White Results

.

08B Black Results

Nor Cal Play Date #1

08G White

Game 3 versus Napa United

Woodland, CA

2.11.2018

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ON0dXfuf71cxz5V-3UuBPL8QAAgCK_hu

08G White Parents,

Below is our 2018 El Dorado Hills Soccerfest schedule.  Please have the girls arrive at or before 7:00 AM and with PLENTY of WATER.

08B Black Parents,

Below is our 2018 ARFC Independence Cup schedule.  Please have the boys arrive at or before 9:00 AM and with PLENTY of WATER.