Athletes
If you’re thirsty, it’s already too late. Dehydration is the number one nutritional killer of most athletes’ performance, because they don’t drink enough water through the day. Not drinking enough water will leave you feeling sluggish and sleepy, and when you’re an athlete involved in a sport where every second counts you know that a few minutes of feeling sluggish and sleepy can completely ruin your performance. Although most doctors recommend you drink six to eight glasses of water a day, that amount actually varies from person to person. The best thing you can do is cut other drinks out of your diet and drink water all day long. Remember, if your body is so dehydrated that you feel thirsty, it’s already too late.
Take your vitamins. Vitamin and mineral supplements are a key element in athlete nutrition, since the constant demands placed on their body burn those vitamins up faster than the average individual. Talk with your coach and your physician to see what supplements are right for you. Enjoy your carbs! Although the Atkins diet has instilled a deathly fear of carbs into a huge percentage of the population, the bottom line is that your body gets its energy from its carbohydrates. As an athlete, you need that energy to keep going; as an individual, you need those carbs to replace what you burn throughout the day.
Keep your meat lean. There’s nothing wrong with a nice, juicy steak every once in a while, but good athlete nutrition hinges on keeping the body at a cutting edge. Lean meats are much more effective for that purpose. Remember, however, that your body craves protein as well. As an athlete your daily protein requirements may be higher than many other individuals who live more sedentary lives.
Avoid sweets. Sweets and sugary drinks will dehydrate you and slow you down. That’s the last thing you need! If you can, cut these sweets out of your diet completely. If you can’t, indulge in moderation. Remember, there’s a vast difference between a small slice of cake at your cousin’s wedding reception and an entire apple pie devoured in front of “I Love Lucy” re-runs! Good athlete nutrition is a vital part of staying on top of your game. Sit down with your coach and your physician as soon as possible to work out a detailed diet plan just for you to have you at your peak athletic performance. You’ll be surprised at the difference a little change can make
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There are different types of college scholarships awarded to deserving students. The main types of scholarships are based on academic merit, financial need, and athletic ability. The third type, more commonly known as athletic scholarships, is common here in the United States. Athletic scholarship, another popular type of scholarship is given to those with exceptional talents in sports. Depending on the sport, college or university, and ability of the student-athlete, an athletic scholarship can either be for the whole stay in college or an award that covers a part of one’s tuition and fees.
Athletic scholarships are regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. This organization is in charge of setting the minimum standards for both the scholarship providers and the recipients of the scholarships. They set the minimum GPA and test scores in standardized examinations that an athletic scholar should be able to meet in order to qualify. The National Collegiate Athletic Association also sets the terms with regards to the proportion of recipients, and the form and value of the scholarships that the organizations providing the scholarships must comply with. Also, under the rules of the NCAA, only schools that fall under Division I and Division II can offer athletic scholarships, while Division III schools cannot.
Athletic College Scholarships for Basketball, Football and Swimming:
Basketball is a highly popular sport and most colleges and universities award talented basketball players athletic college scholarships. Having a scholarship under this sport will allow the awardee to participate in intercollegiate matches and also national championships at the schools’ respective division. To have good chances of getting this scholarship, the athlete must be able to compete at the highest amateur level at the time of application.
Competition for athletic college scholarships for football players is very intense especially for those who wish to attend and play for top Division I colleges. To increase one’s chances of getting that scholarship, top high school football players are advised to enroll in football camps and further improve one’s abilities. Support from one’s high school coach is also vital. During the application process, one can also prepare a video of the various matches where one’s skills and abilities are highlighted.
To qualify for a swimming scholarship, the aspirant should register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse for certification. This should be done as early as the start of one’s junior year in high school. Aside from the regular practices one already undergoes, more intensive training at college swimming camps should be considered. Coaches and current student-athletes give technical instruction as well as analysis of one’s level and abilities. If you browse the internet and look for scholarship providers, you can find that there are sites that focus on giving students their chance to study for free. They are associations that exist to do this purpose.
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