New England Hockey Journal Replica Sample - 36

HOCKEY NUTRITION

Julie Nicoletti is a nationally recognized sports nutritionist who specializes in coaching student and professional
athletes to optimize performance and minimize the risk of injury through nutrition. Learn more at www.kineticfuel.net.

Food for thought: Five tips for spring fueling

pring finally has sprung
in New England and that
means that, aside from
playoff hockey and tryouts, the skates might
actually be traded in for lacrosse or
baseball cleats. This is the
time of year when kids
look forward to practices,
games and tournaments
played with friends, and
parents wonder how they'll
be able to manage such
busy schedules. Mornings come all too soon for
sleepy athletes, and evenings give way to quick
JULIE
meals and inconsistent
dinner times.
Experience tells us
times that are the most challenging to
eat well are times when it is most important to do so. Busy spring sports
schedules require proper fueling for
both players and parents. Eating well
promotes wellness and reduces stress
for parents. For players, eating well

maximizes mental clarity and physical energy, boosts mood, improves
strength, speed and stamina, optimizes body composition, reduces risk
of illness and injury and improves vision, which we know is essential for
young hockey players.
Here are some important
"food for thought" tidbits
and tips:
n Planning is the key to
providing nutrient-dense,
easy-to-prepare
meals.
Consider synching your
grocery list to your family's calendars. Who will be
home when? Any special
requests? Which days or
evenings do you have time
to prepare and which ones
require something that can be left
in a Crock-Pot, on the stove or in the
fridge to be heated up at different
times? This small time investment
in planning pays big dividends in a
happy, healthy, well-nourished family
- and you need to make only one trip

to the grocery store.
n Do your best to prepare meals
at home - or at least to make good,
high-quality choices for takeout. In
terms of performance, satisfying hunger with food that lacks nutritional
value is not much better than arriving
to the rink or field on empty.
n Prepare in bulk. You'll be so
grateful that you made extra and put
it in the refrigerator or freezer. This
not only applies to main dishes, but
also it can save you time when it
comes to snacks for the whole family. For example, carrots and celery
stay fresh and crisp in cold water
and pepper slices and strawberries
don't get slimy if they are placed between a paper towel in a baggie in
the fridge. Looking for a quick snack?
Peppers and guacamole or hummus
or carrots/celery or strawberries with
almond or peanut butter will do the
trick. While the peeler and cutting
board are out, why not peel, chop and
prepare a little extra?
n Support your child and his or

NICOLETTI

April 2017

@kineticfuel1

feedback@hockeyjournal.com

10U+

THE AMERICANODEL
M
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P
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AGE-APPROPRIATE

her teammates by bringing healthy
options to share. Even the youngest
players require good fuel. Consider
orange slices, fruit skewers or cups,
wraps, drinkable yogurts with more
protein than sugar, sunflower seeds
or Fuel for Fire pouches instead of
pizza, cupcakes, munchkins or bagels.
n When going from one activity to
another, bring a cooler full of snacks,
water and perhaps the meal that is
being missed while watching or playing. When one child plays and a sibling or two watch, it's healthier for
them and more economical for you
to have snacks and drinks in the car
vs. giving money for candy or pizza
at the snack bar. If one child is playing multiple sports or games on the
same day, plan ahead with fruit or an
applesauce pouch or a light meal in
between. You'll save time and allow
longer time to digest if you have it
with you.
Eat clean. #FueltheChampionWithin

NTH

DRILL OF THE MO

3v3 WRAP-AROUND
Purpose: To create a small-game environment that emphasizes working
on wrap-arounds and wall play in a tight space.
Drill Structure: Use the dots down as the competition area. The space for
this drill should be tight. Turn the nets around and have them facing the
side walls (goalies should have their backs to the play). Play 3v3.
Coaching Points: Play competitive 3v3 in this confined playing surface. Have
players attack opposing nets from behind. They should be creative and try
to deke goalies from behind the net. Physical play will also be important
in this game. Once a wrap-around is missed, play should continue on the
wall in front of goalies. Strong wall play and puck-possession battles will
occur here. Encourage offensive players to win these battles and attack the
net off the wall.
Progression: Draw two lines behind each net. Teams must head-man pass
the puck over the line before an attack on the net.
Equipment: Nets and pucks.
Comments: Emphasize strong creative attacks on the net and strong wall
play.

36 NEW
ENGLAND HOCKEY JOURNAL May 2017
ADM Drill_Hockey Journal_2017.indd 4

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