Ramping Up for Prepapalooza 2014
May 27, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Over the next five days, thousands of teams representing more than 700 MHSAA high schools will compete for championships at the District, Regional and Finals levels in 11 sports in what annually is the busiest week in Michigan high school sports.
MHSAA.com and Second Half are the places to be for results, coverage and live video from championship events all over both Peninsulas.
Total, 26 Finals champions will be crowned in girls and boys tennis, girls and boys track and field and Upper Peninsula girls and boys golf, with 36 Regional champions rewarded in girls and boys lacrosse and Lower Peninsula boys golf and 320 winners earning trophies in softball, baseball and girls soccer. All tournament rounds combined, more than 8,000 medals will be presented to individual winners or contributors on those team champions.
Game scores as they are reported for baseball, softball, soccer and lacrosse will be available on the MHSAA Score Center throughout the week. Full results from golf Regionals also will be posted over the next five days, as will Finals tennis and golf results as we receive them from Lower and Upper Peninsula hosts (Lower Peninsula tennis opening rounds late Friday evening). Track and Field Finals results will be posted Saturday evening.
All MHSAA Finals from both peninsulas will be covered with stories and photos on Second Half by a crew of valuable correspondents from around the state. Second Half will continue its coverage at the Lacrosse and LP Boys Golf Finals on June 14 and the Baseball, Softball and Girls Soccer Finals from June 19-21.
Live championship races from all seven sites of MHSAA Track and Field Finals will be available on a subscription basis on MHSAA.TV, beginning with the 3,200-meter relays at 10 a.m. at each site. The rest of the Upper Peninsula races then will continue, with Lower Peninsula championship races beginning again at 1 p.m. Highlights from this week's golf and tennis championship events will debut on MHSAA.TV in July.
PHOTOS: (Top) Runners push toward the finish during the 2013 LP Division 3 Final. (Middle) Members of the Bloomfield Hills Academy of the Sacred Heart tennis team hold up number ones to signify their place at last season's LP Division 4 Final.
Coach's Guide to Nutrition: Pre-Workout Snacks
September 10, 2024
Heading into practice or a game under-fueled may take away from athlete performance. Encourage student-athletes to not only eat regularly throughout the day, but to have a small, carbohydrate-focused snack about 30-60 minutes before activity. This will top off their energy stores so they are ready to hit the field.
Pre-workout snacks don’t have to be complicated. Choose easy, high-carb snacks that can be stored safely in a gym bag.
Snacking can be detrimental when done out of boredom or in place of regular, balanced meals. But, for an athlete, healthy snacks can aid performance and recovery.
In planning to eat every 3-4 hours, a mid-morning snack may be ideal. Having a snack in the hour or two before practice and in the ‘window of opportunity’ following practice can help maintain energy levels and ensure proper recovery.
Work with your athletes to create simple snacks that are easy to transport. Encourage athletes to include a carb and protein in each snack when possible. Fresh fruit, granola bars with 8-10 grams of protein, or trail mix that includes nuts/seeds and dried fruit are easy to keep in a gym bag and relatively affordable. A small cooler with an ice pack is a great way to keep snacks cold and fresh.
Snacks are important to maintain energy between meals, before exercise and after workouts. Snacks before and after exercise help performance as well as aid optimal recovery. Try to include carbs and protein in every snack.
Information above is excerpted from UDIM’s A Coach’s Guide to Nutrition.