The term ‘equity’ has been used a lot in recent years when talking about diversity initiatives, but it’s not always clear what that actually means. And unfortunately, there are also misconceptions and assumptions around equity in sport that, as a caregiver of a young athlete, you should recognize and discontinue. Nadia [...]
Whether inflation is increasing the cost of your normal trip to the grocery store or you’re suddenly buying a lot more food for growing athletes, you may KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance be looking for ways to save some money while buying [...]
Dealing with the preferences and needs of different family members at mealtime can be extremely difficult for caregivers. You may have one child who’s going through a ‘picky eater’ phase, another who’s a vegetarian, and a third who comes home famished after two-a-day practices. You may have your own food preferences as [...]
Is sugar ever good for you? You may have heard that sugar is bad and should be avoided, but for athletes in particular, this is absolutely not the case. Here, TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD, the Director of Nutrition for the NWSL team, KC Current, destigmatizes sugar and shares the [...]
Appetite can be a tricky thing: Sometimes, after the hardest efforts or longest practices, your athlete may simply not feel hungry. This is normal—but if it becomes a regular occurrence, it can be a cause for concern. While hunger cues are generally important and should be respected, in situations like these, it’s [...]
You may have heard of tart cherry juice as the latest and greatest miracle drink to improve your performance, your recovery, your sleep, and even your immunity. But can a juice really do all of that? TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Here, TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, [...]
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport—better known as REDs or RED-S—can be hard to diagnose, but essentially, it happens to athletes when they’re consistently expending more energy than they’re taking in. For both boys and girls, this can take a serious physical toll on their bodies, resulting in decreased performance and an increased [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer Tired of trying to reinvent your menu every night at dinnertime? You may be overthinking the types of meals that your athlete needs, which could cost you time and money along the way. The good news is that you can simplify your mealtime strategy and you [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Dealing with a resistant athlete—whether they don’t want to go to their practice or they are skipping homework for an extra workout —can be frustrating for any caregiver. But often, the reason for an athlete’s resistance may be more nuanced or valid than we realize, says board-certified [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Most sport parents have heard their athletes talk about how much they need this or that supplement to perform better, stay healthier, or train harder. If your athlete is set on supplements, you can help them minimize the risks from those products by [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Athletes often assume that anti-doping only becomes relevant to them once they’re over 18 or start playing at the professional level. The reality is that any athlete who is a member of a National Governing Body (NGB), such as USA Swimming or USA [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer You may have noticed electrolyte drinks and drink mixes popping up on social media, in articles, on podcasts, and in grocery stores in recent years. But does a young athlete really need to supplement their hydration with electrolytes? Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian [...]
While sport should be a safe place for athletes to grow and thrive, the devastating reality is that there are times when that’s not true. That is why it’s so important for the many adults who surround young athletes to understand what qualifies as misconduct, intervene when necessary, and report information to [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer If your athlete is struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep through the night, or is dealing with some mild feelings of anxiety, tweaking their nutrition habits can help. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, offers a few simple [...]
Athletes today have more inputs and reasons for being overwhelmed than ever before. Even in youth sport, the demands on their time are plentiful: travel teams, school teams, tournaments, required time in the gym for strength training, expectations of extra coaching in the offseason, and often, year-round play. Then, there are school [...]
As national statistics and stories continue to unveil, young athletes are in crisis in the U.S. right now, thanks in large part to a plethora of pressures placed on them. With this in mind, how can you best support their mental wellness while helping them grow as people and athletes? Here, one [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer The holidays can be a dietary minefield, especially for student-athletes who are focused on eating a healthy diet. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares some tips on how to approach holidays and vacations mindfully so that athletes [...]
Deborah Gilboa, MD Parents have the tendency to want to ‘fix’ things for their athletes by offering their help or their opinion on challenging situations. But while that may feel necessary and satisfying, it’s rarely the best way to improve your athlete’s ability to be resilient. Board-certified family physician and [...]
More conversations are happening about the importance of mental wellness for student-athletes, and mental health is increasingly talked about in similar ways as physical health. But how are communities, schools, trainers, parents, coaches, and even the athletes themselves best able to support mental wellbeing within youth sport? It’s not an issue that [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer When chilly fall weather hits, there’s no meal that’s more comforting and satisfying than a hearty soup or stew. And with your athlete in the middle of a competitive season and busy school year, soups are also a simple option for parents who are simply too [...]
TrueSport Expert Nadia Kyba Unfortunately, workaholism is a term that’s no longer reserved for adults, and our experts are finding that young athletes and student-athletes can easily fall into this trap too. Workaholic tendencies are often praised as hustle, grit, or enthusiasm, but over time, these tendencies can lead to [...]
Young athletes are highly susceptible to negative thoughts around body image—and those thoughts can balloon into serious problems for your athlete’s health if not addressed early. As a parent, what should be considered a cause for concern or just a typical young person’s angst? Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. [...]
From an offhand comment about what an athlete is eating for breakfast on race day to referring to one athlete on the team as having ’the right build for the sport,’ even casual references to an athlete’s body can have long-term consequences. Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Melissa Streno, [...]
Kevin Chapman, PhD Now more than ever, young athletes are feeling pressure: Pressure to perform in sport, to have a certain image on social media, to get good grades, to do extracurricular activities, and to get into a certain school on a scholarship. These pressures often lead to performance anxiety, [...]
As an athletic trainer (AT), you play a unique role in a young athlete’s life. You typically have significant insight into an athlete’s health and wellbeing, and often serve as an athlete’s advocate to their coaches and their parents. One key area that is often overlooked by coaches, athletes, and families is [...]