As the Boston tournament, Capitol Hill Classic, Rhode Island Rumble, and Northeast Qualifier approaches players need to prepare for the trip and the long weekend that's to come. First, with over 120 courts will be the Capitol Hill Classic, then with over 90 courts the Boston is quickly approaching as well! Whether you are a seasoned player or first timer, we have some advice for you be ready! Here are a few tips to be prepared.
Packing
Have you ever forgotten your jersey to a tournament? Worst feeling ever. How about your spandex, kneepads or even your volleyball shoes? Then your parents have to buy you new ones while you are there so you can play and then they will nag you about it the whole weekend (rightfully so… I mean, how on earth could you forget your shoes?!?). You can easily steer clear of these issues by using a few fool proof packing tactics!
Prepare a written checklist beforehand (and triple check it!)
Get your laundry done at least a day in advance.
Start packing a day ahead, not just the night before.
Lay out all of your items so you can make sure they are all accounted for and use your checklist!
Use your checklist again when you put your items in your bag
Remind your parents to pack a lot of snacks that you can take with you for each day, but don't forget, no coolers are allowed! There are many available options to get food in the convention centers or venues but they aren't always healthy.
Hydration & Nutrition
Staying hydrated and eating healthy are the most important things to stay on top of before any tournament. Being dehydrated or malnourished can severely affect your performance.
Several days before a tournament, you should be focused on hydrating well and eating healthy. Drinking a lot of water only the day before will not be enough. Hydration is most important in the days before playing. Healthline and the Mayo Clinic recommend that you should intake about 60 fluid ounces of water a day. The average water bottle is about 12-25 fluid ounces. So an easy way to think about this would be to drink about 4-6 water bottles a day.
Choosing the right foods will help you prepare for your long weekend ahead as well. NEVER skip breakfast and be sure to intake more valuable calories than usual. Choose nutrient-dense carbohydrates and protein foods and make sure to snack in between meals. (*Coming Soon: see our HuskyBlog post about Nutrition).
Sleep
Calming your nerves and excitement the night before a tournament day is difficult to do. Sleep is very much affected during these nights. The best strategy to make sure you have enough rest is to manage sleep as part of your regular effort to prepare, days before your tournament.
One way to do this is to try to get some extra sleep beforehand. A study conducted at Stanford University found that increasing sleep to 10 hours per night for a period of time improved athletic performance for tennis and basketball players. Additionally, getting that extra sleep ahead of time, will reduce the impact of restricted sleep the night before the big game or competition.
Team Culture
Lastly, nothing is more important than your team. Too many of us forget that we need to keep tabs on not just ourselves but our teammates as well! Text the group to remind them not to forget things, or to make sure they are awake for your AM wave. Check up on your teammates to make sure they have eaten or if they need a snack. Any of these little things can make a difference in your teams performance.
Whether you see it or not, nowadays team bonding is slowly being pushed aside. Our mobile phones are a huge culprit, taking us away from spending time with our team. It's too easy to roll up in your blanket during an off game and mindlessly scroll through Instagram. This valuable time could be spent making bonds with your teammates that will make your team stronger. You all don’t need to be best friends, but try to just make an effort to be together. Take photos, play games, and get everyone involved.
Good Luck!
¨The work of a team doesn’t happen by magic. It doesn’t work by simply saying we should do it. There is a certain amount of conscious effort needed.¨ - unknown
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