TAKE 5 With U.S. Ski Team’s Laurenne Ross
Elite athletes know how to deliver elite performances. And they know that the best way to fuel elite performances is to make great nutrition choices. But fueling elite performances shouldn’t be limited to our elite athletes.
Nutrition is a key contributor to performance. And it’s one that is often overlooked for athletes of all ages. The building blocks of good nutrition start with just good instincts. Starting from a young age, you probably knew not to eat certain things before a game, or to not eat too much because it’s hard to digest before the game starts. What youth athletes might not know is that certain foods can make you feel more energetic, think more clearly, and benefit performance in training and competition.
Here at Liberty Mutual Insurance Play Positive™ we believe that parents and coaches can help youth athletes incorporate sports nutrition into their pre-game plans to bring out their best performance. Think of food as fuel for everything your youth athletes do.
We sat down with U.S. Ski Team standout Laurenne Ross, to get her thoughts on how youth athletes, coaches and Positive Sport Parents can help fuel elite performances.
In our exclusive TAKE 5 interview, Laurenne told us that fueling performance begins with making wise choices at the market.
“Eat fresh, local produce; hearty, protein-filled grains; and non-GMO, grass-fed, antibiotic-free meat and animal products,” said Laurenne.
Laurenne said that another top priority for youth athletes should be to always pack enough protein into their meals. She added that protein can come from a lot of different sources.
“I wish athletes would stop drinking processed protein powder and start discovering their protein from natural, un-processed, real food-based sources,” said Laurenne. “I think everyone around the world can benefit tremendously from eating food in its original form – plants, grains and meats – in order to maintain a healthier and more eco-conscious lifestyle.”
Laurenne added that she believes coaches and parents can both play a vital role in ensuring youth athletes properly fuel their performances.
“Coaches can play a huge role in their athlete’s nutritional knowledge and environment,” said Laurenne. “Especially when athletes are young, they typically just eat what is available, and if coaches make the athletes aware of how important healthy and balanced nutrition is, I think it can really impact athletes’ careers.”
Positive Sport Parents, meanwhile, can help out by making sure elite performances are also being fueled in the home.
“Parents should be acutely aware of what ingredients are in any packaged food they feed their kids,” said Laurenne. “And where their produce, grains and meats are coming from as well.”
To read the full TAKE 5 interview with Laurenne, visit PlayPositive.com. And come back next month for another exclusive TAKE 5 interview!
At Liberty Mutual Insurance, we constantly look for ways to celebrate the countless acts of positivity shown by people every day. We created Play Positive, powered by Positive Coaching Alliance, as part of this belief to help ensure that our kids experience the best that sports have to offer in environments that promote and display positivity. We believe kids can learn valuable life lessons when coaches and parents come together to support winning on and off the slopes.
©2014 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Positive Coaching Alliance. All rights reserved. This material may not be distributed without express written permission. Any reproduction in whole or part by and individuals or organizations will be held liable for copyright infringement to the full extent of the law.