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By: Emily K. McAfee

Carbs, proteins and fats are known as the three primary nutrient groups in the foods we consume. These three are broken down during digestion into elements our body uses for energy. Protein is condensed amino acids (which we’ve discussed before) and fat breaks down into fatty acids. Both are used throughout the metabolic process.

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary fuel source. Carbs are broken out into two categories: complex and simple varieties. Complex carbs have a steadier impact on blood glucose levels. Simple carbs spike blood sugar levels almost immediately upon consumption. For instance, consuming juice or sugary candy causes blood sugar and energy to rise quickly, but it also causes a rapid drop shortly afterwards. Examples of complex carb sources would be whole grains and vegetables.

Converting carbohydrates as the primary energy source is simpler for the body rather than the intricate process of converting fat or protein into fuel. In order to function, it is essential for the brain, muscles, and other organ cells to have carbohydrates available. When carbohydrates are consumed, the body converts them into glucose, which is then pumped into the bloodstream. This glucose is then used as a quick energy source. The glucose can also be stored in the cells (the majority of which is stored in the liver) as the glucose polysaccharide glycogen to be used later.

Protein delivers amino acids to the body. The amino acids are the building blocks for muscle, brain and nervous system tissues, along with blood, skin, and hair. Protein also aids in the delivery of oxygen and other essential nutrients throughout the body. The human body produces 11 amino acids by itself. There are nine other amino acids the body cannot produce, called essential amino acids, which must be consumed through nutrition.

• Complete proteins provide all 20 amino acids the body needs in suitable amounts.
• Incomplete proteinsdon’tcontain all of the amino acids the body needs. Plant-based proteins are considered incomplete proteins, but when eaten in variety as complementary proteins all amino acid needs may be met. Eating foods alone or together throughout the day make it possible to obtain a complete amino acid profile.

Fat contributes an important energy source when we are hungry or calorie deprived. Fats insulate the body, ensure proper cell function and protect vital organs.

Saturated fats are a subset of fats which mostly come from animal sources such as dairy and meat. These fats are generally considered “unhealthy” and are the primary type of fat stored in fat cells for later use.

Unsaturated fats are divided into monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties and provide the body with numerous health benefits. These types of fats come primarily from plant sources, fortified foods like dairy and eggs, fish and grass-fed animals.

Trans fats are another sub-type of unsaturated fat resulting almost exclusively from processed foods. Examples of these processed foods are crackers, cookies, cakes and other baked goods which contain an unhealthy fat known as hydrogenated fats. Health advocates encourage food manufacturers to remove trans fats from the products they make as there is no metabolic benefit from consuming them.

It is essential to include all three of these macronutrients in your nutrition regimen. An athlete’s fitness goals should aim to maintain wellness by choosing lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

This is a pretty complex subject! If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

See you on the healthier side,

Emily McAfee CN, CSSC, M. Ed.
Nutritionist
Certified Specialist in Strength and Conditioning
BA Psychology
M. Ed. in Health and Wellness
Emilykmcafee.com
Emilymcafeemed@gmail.com

By T.J Jumper

The championship part of the season can be very exciting and rewarding or could be very heartbreaking.  As athletes, coaches, and parents we all live for the spirit of competition and the thrilling moments that the championship part of the season brings.  Of course, we all prefer to be on the winning side with all the excitement and the thrill of victory.  The very best teams, coaches, and athletes tend to experience the thrill of victory on a more regular basis. The reason why is because they all consistently perform their best in the biggest competitions.

Many of these elite teams and athletes put in years of work to get to this high level physically and technically.  But what makes everything come together in those big moments and to have those big performances in the largest competitions is preparing to have them.  An athlete and/or team must prepare mentally, physically, emotionally, technically, and tactically.  An athlete is responsible for their preparation and controlling what they can personally control. To be one of the best, an athlete cannot just flip a switch and show up and compete at a consistently high level.  The preparation starts well in advance ahead of time.  This is having, acting, and living with a champion’s mindframe.  To be consistently successful in anything the champion’s mindframe is needed.  

Now that you know what (mentally, physically, emotionally, technically, and tactically) to prepare, how does one prepare?

In order to answer this question, Jumper Athletics surveyed a few elite athletes about how they prepare. These athletes have made an impression on the Jumper Athletic Coaches by how they prepare, what they have accomplished, and how well they perform in the biggest competitions.  They all are NCAA division 1 or 2 athletes and placed high in their state’s high school state competitions or earned impressive athletic accolades.  Most importantly, if asked to describe each one of them, they are all great people.  After sharing a little bit more about the athletes, we will summarize what was in common amongst their responses to the survey questions.

The Athletes (A special thank you to the following athletes for taking the time to complete the Jumper Athletics survey and be willing to provide information about their preparation to help others).  Below are just a couple of highlights of each of the athletes, but they have many more.

Athletes Surveyed

• Brody Brecht – two sport athlete at the University of Iowa.  He is a wide receiver for the University Iowa’s Football Team and a pitcher on the University of Iowa’s Baseball Team. He was the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, a State Champion, and a multi-time All-Stater
• Kendall Cornick – was an outfielder for Augustana University (South Dakota).  She was named an All-American, Student-Athlete, Central Region Player of the Year, 2021 NCAA Women of the Year
• Devon Jackson – is a linebacker on the University of Oregon’s Football Team.  Was a 4-Star recruit, a Top-20 Linebacker recruit in the country, Recognized as one of Nebraska Super-6 Football Players, and HS All-American.  He was a track & field Nebraska State Champion in the 100m and 200m dashes.
• Aly Jumper – is a goalie on the Winona State University Women’s Soccer Team.  She holds the high school’s record for single-season and career shutouts.  Was on 3-High School teams that placed in the final 4 at the Iowa State Soccer Tournament with 1-year ending in a State Championship.  Four years in a row, her soccer club team was either a finalist or a state cup champion.
• Caroline Waite – is a point guard on the Bradley University’s Women’s Basketball Team.  Ended her Freshman year at Bradley as the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman Women’s Basketball Player of the Year and also made the All-Freshman team.  She is the All-time leading scorer at her high school.
• Abby Williams – is a midfielder on the Winona State University’s Women’s Soccer Team.  She was her high school’s team player of the year for 2 years.  She was also all-conference two years in a row.  

The rest of the blog post will share the question asked on the survey and then a summary of common themes from the athletes’ responses.

Question/Response Themes

In the off-season, what is your focus and generally how are you preparing to compete?

The athletes all mentioned that they are focused on getting physically stronger and faster.  This takes a lot of dedication because games are not being played.  The athletes also mentioned that it is highly important to have a growth mindset or process-oriented mindset.  Each athlete either reflected on their own or talked with a coach about what they could technically improve.  Each put together a plan to improve on 1-2 technically parts of their game.

About a week ahead of a competition, what do you do to prepare (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to compete?

Each athlete talked about mental and emotional preparation by visualizing a positive outcome and seeing themselves do well.  This helps build their confidence.  It is also discussed that they review their assignments, routes, scouting report, and/or game plan to mentally and tactically perform their best.

Physically every athlete mentioned eating healthy, injury prevention, and getting enough sleep to physically be at their best.  One athlete said, “ it was important I incorporated those aspects into my daily habits.”  Another said, “it has to become a way of life.”

The day or night before a big competition, how do you  prepare (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to perform your best?

Many of the aspects in the last question were carried over to this question.  The idea of having and continuing a routine.  The most prevalent information was to have a great dinner and get enough sleep.  The one area that connected to physically preparing with sleep and eating that was even more pronounced under this question was to be sure to drink enough water in order to be hydrated for competition day.

The day of your competition, what do you do to prepare (mentally, emotionally, and physically) to perform your best?

Each athlete continued to mention about following a good healthy nutrition routine and to continue hydrating.  Before reporting to the athletic competition, the most important information was to find ways to stay in the zone and have a clear mind.  Examples of this were listing to music, praying, stretching, talking with teammates/friends, and/or going on a walk.  Many mentioned not getting too excited or too hyped up.  

What is your pre-competition routine and how does it connect to your preparation to compete (mentally, emotionally, and physically)?

Arriving at the competition, our elite athletes mentioned having a routine to have a clear mind, reviewing assignments and the game plan.  Much of this routine was repeated before every competition because they found it to be successful.  Most of the athletes used music and a certain type of music that they chose individually (playlist) to keep that relaxed but focused mindframe.  One athlete stated “I try to ground myself.”

Post competition, do you do anything that connects to preparation?  If yes, what is it and why?

All the athletes talked about immediately refueling their body with nutrients and hydration.  The focus shifted to physical recovery for the next competition so they want recovery to be as efficient as possible.  

There is also time to reflect on the game by talking with a coach, watching/analyzing video, and deciding on improvements.  An athlete noted, “This reflection is critical individually, but also as a team.”  Taking time to reflect is important to know what you did well and what needs improved.  It is important to then make a plan for the next step and then to start preparing for the next competition.

Conclusion

The athletes provided a great deal of information and it was amazing to see how close they were in their preparation to compete and perform at a high level.  They all are dedicated and committed to a routine that helps them prepare to repeatedly perform at a high level and be consistently successful.  

By Emily K. McAfee

Did you know your first drink in the morning may have a negative impact on your entire day?

After waking up, our bodies are dehydrated due to losing water through sweating, breathing and other metabolic functions. Further dehydration can take a toll on daily productivity, leading into brain fog, as well as decreased energy levels and motivation.

Drinks that have high sugar content such as coffee with sugar and/or sweetened creamers, caramel latte and soda may spike insulin levels. Partaking of these types of drinks during the first few hours after waking have been shown to enhance the desire for sweets, high fat and calorie dense foods over the remainder of the day rather than consuming nutrient dense whole foods that will better fuel you.

So, what is the best thing to drink first thing in the morning? WATER. Drinking 12-16 ounces straight away replenishes fluids lost while sleeping. If you don’t like plain water, add cut fresh fruit to enhance flavor. Either way, water’s ability to boost mental clarity and cognitive function allows for improved focus over the early hours of the day.

If you depend on that “kick” from coffee or tea, you can still have it…just make sure to drink water beforehand. Also, be sure to avoid drinks that are high in sugar (natural or added) such as milk, soda, juices or creamers. Remember—this will cause your insulin levels to quickly rise then crash making you feel lousy after the body is able to metabolize them in as little as an hour. 

If you work out in the morning, there is an exception. In my last blog I mentioned how sports drinks are good to consume as long as you choose well. After having a full glass of water, drinking a sports drink is acceptable if it contains ample amounts of electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. These ingredients are essential as they assist in balancing the amount of water in our body, and support proper muscle function. Maintaining adequate hydration ensures nerves and organs work as they should during times of distress, like long or intense workouts and endurance competitions. Find a sport drink with BCAAs (branch chain amino acids)—particularly those with leucine, isoleucine and valine—three of nine essential amino acids the body needs and cannot self-produce. BCAAs assist with muscle growth and repair, decreased muscle soreness and reduced exercise fatigue.  

Questions or Comments? Please feel free to contact me!

See you on the healthier side,

Emily McAfee CN, CSSC, M. Ed.
Nutritionist
Certified Specialist in Strength and Conditioning
BA Psychology
M. Ed. in Health and Wellness
Emilykmcafee.com
Emilymcafeemed@gmail.com

The next couple of blog posts will focus on nutritional topics for athletes. Jumper Athletics is excited to announce that we have partnered with Emily K. McAfee who is an expert in nutrition, health and wellness, and functional training. Emily not only as the credentials, she received her Master’s degree in Health & Wellness, but has also work with those associated with Jumper Athletics in the past. We are super excited for her to be part of our team! Emily is located in central Illinois, but is also available for consultation for those outside of that area and in other states. If you would like more information about Emily, check out her website https://emilykmcafee.com/

Below post by Emily K. McAfee

Each day, there are numerous athletes who consume no less than three times the amount of sugar recommended by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), which is approximately 95 grams. The AHA (American Heart Association) states that male’s daily sugar limit should be around 35 grams, and for female they recommend no more than 25 grams. To put that into perspective, one teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to 4 grams.

It is essential for athletes to monitor their sugar intake. Although it is important to keep sugar levels low, not all sugar is created equal:

Fruit is a natural food which contains naturally occurring sugars, like fructose. Athletes access simple sugars for “quick” energy during practice and competition. And since fruit also contains healthy fiber and phytonutrients, they can be consumed before and after workouts or sporting event to keep fuel stores in equilibrium.

What athletes don’t need are added sugars—processed ingredients put into many of the so-called health foods athletes tend to consume. Processed sugars are considered empty calories (meaning, they have no practical metabolic use) and can act as a gateway into the athlete desiring more sugar. Eliminating foods like these can further assist with mental clarity and physical performance.

As noted above: one teaspoon of sugar contains 4 grams.

So, depending the type of soda, one can- may surpass the daily recommendation of sugar by providing anywhere from 9-11 teaspoons…or about 18 packs of sugar in just one can!

A 20-ounce serving of some sports drinks may contain upwards of 36 grams of sugar. Some purport to contain no sugar but even these have raised some concerns over what is in them and whether or not they’re beneficial for athletes. Some artificial sugars, such as aspartame, have raised controversy surrounding long-term health impacts, as one study showed that it may contribute to depression. Another, sucralose, has been shown to develop migraines in some people and may even increase insulin resistance.

So, what sport drink is good for you? Choose something that provides an ample amount of electrolytes—sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium. We need these because they help balance the amount of water in our body, and assist with proper muscle function. Further, maintaining adequate hydration ensures nerves and organs work as they should during times of distress, like hard lengthy workouts and endurance competitions. It’s also recommended to find a sport drink with BCAAs (branch chain amino acids)—particularly those with leucine, isoleucine and valine—three of nine essential amino acids the body needs and cannot self-produce. Proven benefits of BCAAs are increased muscle growth and repair, decreased muscle soreness and reduced exercise fatigue. 

Below are some sugary foods you might be partaking of and want to rethink:

Condiments–sauces like BBQ and ketchup can have up to 9 grams of sugar per 2 tablespoon serving.

Whole Wheat Bread–although considered healthy, one slice of many popular brands can have as much as 4 grams of sugar…so 8 grams per sandwich.

Pre-Packed Smoothies—these “healthy” concoctions can pack more than 34 grams per 8-ounce serving. It’s better to make a fresh smoothie at home with whole food fruits and some no-sugar-added protein powder.

Pasta Sauce—look for low sugar pasta sauces. Some marinara sauces can have 10 grams per ½ cup serving.

Flavored Yogurt—depending on the brand, some yogurts contain around 19 grams of sugar. Instead purchase plain Greek yogurt and add your own fresh fruit with some granola.

Caramel Latte—depending on add-ins, this pick-me-up can have more than 47 grams of sugar.

Whether teenage student or adult athlete, watching sugar intake is key to a healthy lifestyle! Exceeding daily sugar intake standards can lead to a myriad of health issues, such as diabetes—a chronic (long-lasting) health condition affecting how the body turns food into energy, and can create a number of additional health maladies impacting quality of life.

See you on the healthier side,

Emily McAfee CN, CSSC, M.Ed.

Nutritionist
Certified Specialist in Strength and Conditioning
BA Psychology
M.Ed in Health and Wellness
Emilykmcafee.com
Emilymcafeemed@gmail.com

By T.J. Jumper

Here at Jumper Athletics we support and promote multi-sport athletes, especially through at least 9th grade. Playing multiple sports is great for the mind, social interaction, coordination, and the use of multiple muscle groups. We also know this is difficult as you get older because most sports become year round between high school and club. No matter what, it is important to have an off-season.

The off-season is the single most important time to improve athletically as an individual. It is important to put a plan together and then stick to that plan. This is where the characteristics of commitment and determination will be tested. The athletes who want to improve will find a way to consistently work on their game.  

When considering the 4 “Musts” the off-season should mainly focus on three of the four. The one that gets the least amount of focus is tactical. It receives a lot of attention during the season. Some may do video review during the off-season, but  when thinking about individual improvement the other three mental, physical, and technical come to the forefront. It is important to reflect on strengths and weaknesses with a growth mindset in order to improve.

On the mental side it is always good in the off-season to take some time off to get rejuvenated and to relax. This is essential because during the season an athlete is always on the go.  Taking some time off will help avoid burnout. This also allows the body to recover from the constant beating it takes from training and competitions.

 Once the body has recovered, the off-season is the best time for strength and conditioning training. This is the time to enhance your strengths and really improve your weaknesses physically. It is highly important to work with someone who has a strong understanding of functional movement, and the basic fundamentals and technique. There have been too many times where an athlete’s physical training is being specialized too early. The early and mid teen years is when the body is going through tremendous physical changes. It is important to avoid long-term and possible serious injury to focus on a well-balanced training program. Late high school and into college is when it is fine to move towards a more specialized weight training program.

The other “Must” that can see great improvement is technique. This is where new skills can be developed and enhanced. Without this off-season time, improvement can become stagnant because during the season the focus is on winning. Again, reflect on areas to improve and put a plan together.  This is a great time to talk to your coach or other experts as to what you should work on. My book Jump and Shout: Lesson Learned on the Path to a State Championship that will be available in person Saturday, March 5, 2022 or on Amazon on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 has an action plan that would help plan these improvement areas.  

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post on the The Four “Musts” of Off-Season Training. Our next blog will be on Sunday, March 12 with a topic on Nutrition for Athletics.

By T.J. Jumper

In a couple of our first ever posts we wrote about how to be highly successful. As a review, we talked about the characteristics of drive, commitment, dedication, and mindset X2 (growth mindset & champion’s mindset). We also talked about another layer to success being the implementation of the four “Musts” (physical, technical, tactical, and social/emotional). The characteristics of high success must be in place and at a high level at all times throughout the year. Whereas, the four “Musts” are always in place, but depending on the time of the season.

There are three general parts of the year according to someone involved in a sport. There is out-of-season, pre-season, and in-season. Each of those parts of the year places a different level of emphasis on the four “Musts”. Pre-season is about wrapping up out-of-season training and starting to feel good as you move into the season. The next blog will focus on the purpose of out-of-season training. This blog is going to focus on the purpose of in-season practice and how the four “Musts” are emphasized.

During the season, a high amount of focus goes to winning competitions. Although I am a very competitive person, I recommend that as a sports community we put more emphasis on skill development at least until the age of 12. Although deep down, I would like to say 14, I will give a little leniency to the idea that it is also good to start to learn how to compete and win/lose during those two years. The emphasis before 14 should be on developing skills, learning the sport, and having fun. The more skill development and understanding of the sport the greater chance of success later in the high school years and possibly in college.

Disclaimer: “What I am sharing is more of a general idea, each individual program and/or coach may run their programs differently, but the below is what has been experienced and seen more the majority of programs.”

Since the focus is on winning competitions there is more of an emphasis on the tactical portion of the four “Musts” and less on technical and physical gains. Tactical is understanding the game and the philosophy that an athlete or team will use during and throughout a game. When more energy and time goes towards tactical improvement the individual, technical, and physical is either maintained or in best case scenario improved a little. To make gains in those areas it has to be out of practice and usually on your own. On the physical side, more emphasis usually goes to recovery and staying healthy to compete. As the season progresses recovery is even more important because multiple competitions could result in an athlete being tired mentally, emotionally, and physically. Our central nervous system can become worn out with too many competitions, and this also leads athletes to being emotionally and mentally tired. If you want to compete at your best, find the balance between resting and competing. Find time away from sports, hang out with family and friends, and rest the body.  The better your body rejuvenates the better performances athletes will have. Recovery is greatly underutilized in sports.

It is important during the season to have some down time. Usually a day or two a week is best. Athletes also need to have some form of an off season. It is important for multi-sport athletes to have some down time to recover physically and mentally/emotionally/socially. What worked for me was at least a week off. During my high school career, sometimes it was 2-3 days to a week.  During my senior year with basketball and track, Coach Garcia and my parents ensured I would take off a week. For me, I have found that when I took a week off, I was able to rejuvenate and be ready to go instead of going into a new season tired. For athletes who only play one or two sports, it is highly recommended that they take a month to two months out of the year of down time. As club sports have almost moved year-around it is important that rest and recovery time is built in so kids don’t get burned out because they are tired mentally/emotionally and avoid injury from overused muscles.

Notice in the last sentence because I did not include socially. It seems that with all the technology, it is easier to be connected to friends. But as an educator, I also am very much aware that having technology on hand has resulted in even less sleep for athletes because they can message their friends at night, watch Tiktok, or even watch TV/movies. We have to ensure that our athletes are putting the technology down at night and getting at least eight hours of sleep.

There are multiple ways to recover. The easiest ways besides sleep, is proper nutrition, and to stay hydrated. Other areas for recovery can be read in the attached article on 8 habits for recovery by Recovery For Athletes. Jumper Athletics, myself, and other associates of Jumper Athletics are not attached to or are benefiting from the article provided. It is just an article that has clear and easy recovery habits that can be implemented. There is plenty of other information that is available through research and talking to experts.

Thank you for taking the time to read our blog post on the The Four “Musts” of In-Season Practice.  Our next blog will be on Sunday, February 27 with a topic being the The Four “Musts” of Out-of-Season Practice.

*If you, someone you know, or an organization/business would like to advertise on our blogs or website please reach out to us via email at jumperathletics@gmail.com