Deborah Gilboa, MD Caregivers often think their job is shielding athletes from all stress. But board-certified family physician and TrueSport Expert, Deborah Gilboa, MD, says stress is a vital tool for building resilience. Instead of avoiding it, help athletes embrace stress strategically to grow mentally, emotionally, and physically. Here, Gilboa is sharing [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Coaches juggle stress on two levels: managing athletes’ stress so they don’t burn out or underperform and managing their own stress so they can lead well and avoid burnout themselves. To do both, coaches need to understand how stress works, as well as how to make it work [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD You may have been taught that stress is always bad and should be avoided. But in reality, stress is critical for growth, performance, and being a happy, healthy human. Too much stress can absolutely be a problem, but no stress at all usually means you’re not being challenged [...]
Joint rules process yields nine updates aimed at clarity, consistency, and athlete safety Dallas, TX - March 17, 2026 - USA Cheer, in partnership with the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), announces updates to the high school cheerleading rules following the conclusion of the joint annual rules meeting. The updated rules will [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Pre-exercise hydration can be a confusing topic for youth sports parents and coaches. Most people know that it is important, but the specifics of ‘why’ can seem murky. “How much water should my athletes be drinking before practices and games?,” “How can an athlete [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Artificial food dyes have received plenty of attention in recent years. Some headlines suggest they may increase hyperactivity in children, while others argue they’re simply unnecessary additives that we don’t need in our food. As a caregiver, it’s natural to wonder how concerned you [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been making headlines for years—and usually not in a positive light. Often used as a replacement for cane sugar in sodas, candies, and other sweet snacks, it’s frequently viewed as the “less healthy” option. For coaches working with [...]
Getting the right fuel before an early workout can be tough. Many athletes find that eating first thing in the morning feels unappetizing, upsets their stomach, or simply doesn’t fit into their morning routine. But your body still needs energy to perform—and there are simple ways to make pre-workout fueling easier. “If you’re [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Taking risks is part of sport, and part of life: You won’t excel as an athlete if you don’t take shots that you know may not go into the goal, push harder in a run knowing you may not be able to hold the pace, or opt to [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD As a coach, you may assume that your role is to protect athletes from failure, make the decisions that you feel are in the best interest of the team, and generally keep the team’s results steady. But viewing your role in this way may be holding your athletes [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Encouraging young people to take risks and take ownership of making their own decisions can be hard for caregivers who are used to helping their children avoid failure. This is understandable and natural, but board-certified family physician and TrueSport Expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, explains that most caregivers are [...]
If you're the caregiver for a young athlete, you need to be paying close attention to their oral health and hygiene, especially since good practices for sports nutrition don't always align with the best practices for dental health. This Children’s Dental Health Month, Dr. Michele LaBotz, a TrueSport Expert and sports medicine specialist, is sharing [...]
Historic milestone marks culmination of 16+ year journey to create a collegiate sport derived from cheer and designed for women DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, January 20, 2026 - STUNT, the head-to-head competitive cheer sport governed nationally by USA Cheer, has officially advanced to NCAA Championship Sport status, marking a historic milestone for women’s collegiate athletics. [...]
Amy Eichner, PhD GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy have become increasingly common for adults for both diabetes management and weight loss. Even well-known celebrities and tennis star Serena Williams have endorsed GLP-1 drugs, increasing their visibility and normalizing their use. These GLP-1 drugs are becoming more common, both through prescriptions [...]
As a parent of a young athlete, you’re likely going to be on snack duty at some point during the season. For some competitions or practices, this will be easier: a few granola bars, orange slices, and you’re good to go. But for longer days, like track and field meets or regional matches [...]
Amy Eichner, PhD Supplements targeted to athletes are everywhere, and they're becoming increasingly popular thanks to social media. As influencers and ad campaigns speak specifically to teens about recovering faster, gaining more muscle, or even shedding fat, your young athletes may be curious about supplements to boost their performance on the [...]
Amy Eichner, PhD While peptides have been popular for years, first making waves in products for skin and joint care, injectable peptides have recently become popular on social media thanks to claims of muscle growth, recovery, and a host of other benefits that may appeal to athletes. Here, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency [...]
TrueSport Athlete Ambassador Abby Raymond As an Olympic weightlifter, setting incredibly specific goals is nonnegotiable for Abby Raymond. Because a single pound of weight on the bar could be the difference between a win or a loss, the granular focus on numbers is key to success. But it's not always easy [...]
Since he was only a few years old, Trevon Jenifer has focused on athletic goals and how to achieve them. With that focus and some strategic goal setting, Jenifer has gone on to become a four-time Paralympian in the sport of wheelchair basketball. While his goals in life and sport have changed over [...]
Chris Mazder - Olympian and TrueSport Ambassador Chris Mazdzer is no stranger to goal setting. The now-retired luge athlete competed in four winter Olympic Games, winning the silver medal in 2018 and becoming the first non-European racer to ever medal in the men's single luge. Since he retired from the sport [...]
2026 STUNT Season Schedule Released DALLAS, TX, UNITED STATES, November 17, 2025 -- USA Cheer and STUNT proudly announce the full release of the 2026 College STUNT season schedule, marking the largest and most competitive season in the sport’s history. The season officially opens February 2, featuring more than 580 games across five competitive divisions nationwide. This [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Change is inevitable, but for a young athlete, even a positive change can bring up feelings of stress and anxiety. For caregivers, it can be tempting to try to step in and solve every perceived problem or issue your athlete has, but if an athlete is going to [...]
The headlines of wellness, fitness, and nutrition coverage have been shouting about the difference in fueling for males versus females in recent years, and as a caregiver for a young athlete, it can feel confusing. There are already so many other aspects of fueling to consider, but if your athlete has big goals, [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD As a coach, helping athletes learn how to handle adversity is essential, both for their own growth and the success of the team. And change is often equivalent to adversity, especially for young athletes. Here, board-certified family physician and TrueSport Expert, Deborah Gilboa, MD, explains exactly how change [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Change is inevitable, but it’s also scary. Whether you get promoted to team leader or cut from the starting lineup, your brain is programmed to produce stress. However, it's possible to become more skilled at dealing with change by building your resilience muscles. Here, board-certified family physician and [...]