Hey Coach Bri

04/10/2026

Why is hydration important?

Hydration helps to regulate your body temperature, supports blood flow and muscle function, maintains energy levels, and so much more!

Here are a few tips on staying hydrated during those summer practices.

– Have 8 – 16 oz of water with a carb-rich snack an hour or 2 before practice.

– Try to drink another 8 – 16 oz of water for each hour of practice.

- For practices lasting longer than 2 hours or are more intense than usual, consider having a sports drinks that contain electrolytes and a little carbs as well.

- After practice, it’s important to restore the energy and water lost during exercise with 16 – 24 oz of water or a sports drink.

04/08/2026

Recovery isn’t just for broken bones or surgeries.

Bodies endure physical stress during exercise and activities. If not properly managed, this strain can lead to muscle fatigue, joint strain, and injuries. Recovery allows the muscles, bones, and joints to repair and grow stronger, reducing the risk of overuse injuries like tendinitis or stress fractures.

Young athletes are especially vulnerable to injuries because their bodies are still developing. Growth plates, the soft areas of growing bone at the ends of long bones, are particularly at risk. Overuse or improper management of stress can cause damage that impacts their athletic ability, and potentially their mobility, later in life.

Proper recovery is critical for athletes to stay healthy, perform their best, and ensure that their bodies can handle the challenges of their sport and the physical demands of life as they grow.

The best recovery for athletes combines rest and sleep, proper nutrition, and hydration.

WORKOUT WEDNESDAY Recovery isn’t just for broken bones or surgeries. Bodies endure physical stress during exercise and activities. If not properly managed, this strain can lead to muscle fatigue, j…

04/03/2026

When you compare for a point in time, you can identify a gap in your approach and then shift your attention back to what you can control.

When you compare on a repeated a loop, you can get locked into a cycle of envy and disappointment.

💕

03/30/2026

Here are my favorite pre-workout snacks.

- Bananas are easy to digest and full of natural sugars for quick energy.
You can pair a banana with peanut butter or any nut butter for added protein and fats to fuel your upcoming workout.

- Fruit Pouches are an excellent choice for pre-workout snacks. Easy to carry, no mess, and quick to consume. Many pouches are very simple and made with real fruit and no added sugars.

- Half of a PB&J sandwich. This provides a blend of fast acting sugars and slow burning carbs. PB&J's are also easy on the stomach and you can customize your sandwich to fit your needs by swapping out peanut butter for any other nut butter or using a low sugar jelly.
Consider adding sliced bananas for an extra boost.

Pre-workout snacks are ideal 30 - 60 minutes before a workout. So take a minute before you head to the gym, eat a snack, and remember to hydrate.

💕

03/29/2026

OVERCOMING FEAR

Step 1
In order to overcome fear, we must first understand what “fear" is?
-Fear is the belief that something is dangerous.
-A mental block is your body’s reaction to fear when you don’t know what to do with it.
Instead of avoiding fear, we should learn to accept it, harness it, and turn it into fuel.

Step 2
Breathe.
-Learn to practice Mindful Breathing.
-A common technique is the 4x7x8.
-Inhale slowly for 4 seconds, hold that breath for 7 seconds, and exhale slowly for 8 seconds.

Step 3
Create safety in your mind.
-Remind yourself that you are in control.
-Use phrases such as, “I’m on a mat”, “I’ve worked this before”, “My coach is here”.

Step 4
Visualize.
-Mentally rehearse the skills in your mind through imagery.
-Visualize where you are in as much detail as possible.
-Visualize you are in your body.
-Visualize how you are feeling.
-Use your keywords.
You only need 5 minutes to mentally rehearse your routine 3 times.

Step 5
Redirect your fear into excitement.
-Your body doesn’t know the difference between the two.

Step 6
Say your power statement
-Create a short phrase to snap yourself back into a positive state of mind.
-“I am strong, capable, and ready!”, “I can do all things.”, “I am confident.”
Don’t just say it. Listen to it and believe it.

Step 7
Trust and be brave.
-Trust your coaches, your training, and yourself.
-And remember that being brave is to feel the fear, acknowledge it, and move forward with it.

Step 8
Use your keywords.
-These are short cues to help you move through your routine.
-Use them while you are visualizing and while you are physically performing your skills.
Keywords create safety and keep us in the present.
-Keep your keywords short and never use the word “don’t”.

Step 9
Do a mental 3:1
-Go over 3 things you did well and 1 thing that you can improve on.
-Turn every step back into a comeback.
This helps to train your brain to seek success.

Step 10
Be patient and speak kindly to yourself.
-Speak kindly to yourself by treating your inner dialogue with the same compassion you would offer a friend. Replace harsh self-criticism with understanding and affirmation.

03/25/2026

"Failure is a chance to learn."

Mistakes and losses aren't fun for anyone and can be especially hard on a young athlete.

Normalize Mistakes.
Take a minute to remind young athletes that mistakes are a normal and expected part of sports at all levels, even for professionals.Instead of seeing a mistake or loss as a reflection of their self-worth or ability, athletes should see it as valuable feedback.

Encourage reflection and improvement.

Questions to analyze the mistake:
- What went wrong? Focus on controllable factors like technique.
- What did I do well even with the mistake?
- Can I fix this now, or does it need to wait for the next practice?
- What's one small, specific adjustment I need to make?

Questions to help see the bigger picture:
- What did this mistake teach me about myself?
- What's the most important thing I learned today?
- What are three things I did well, and one thing I can improve? (Using the 3, 2, 1 system)
- Did my effort honor my team and coaches?

Questions to help move on and improve:
- What can I do to reset my focus right now?
- What's a positive thought I can replace the negative one with?
- How can I apply what I learned to our next practice?
- What's one thing I will work on to get better?

03/16/2026

Sometimes you are your own worst critic. Often dwelling on mistakes and flaws while looking past positive qualities.

Just like you train your body, you need to train your brain.

Remember that shifting your mindset starts with awareness, not judgment.

Go back and analyze these thoughts with curiosity.

– What are you thinking about?

– What made you think these thoughts?

– What do these thoughts mean to you?

– Do you think about it often?

Approach your thoughts with curiosity and kindness. It’s the first step to building real, lasting mental strength.

💕

03/11/2026

Before you start your workout

Warm-up with 5-10 minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretches to prepare muscles and prevent injury.

Fuel up with a light meal or snack that contains both carbs and protein 1-2 hours before working out.

Hydrate throughout the day, not just during your workout. Try to drink 20 ounces of water 2-3 hours before your workout to avoid muscle cramps.

Dress for the ocassion. Wear clothing and shoes that are comfortable, properly fitting, and appropriate for the activity.

Don’t forget to catch those zZz’s. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep for recovery and energy

03/09/2026

For the mind.

It's important to understand that no matter what happens in life, we do not have to suffer.
"Suffering" is not the same as "pain" and the Buddist parable of the two arrows helps us to understand that.

It is said that whenever we experience a negative event, two arrows fly our way.
Being struck by the first arrow hurts. That arrow is pain.
The second arrow is our emotional reaction to the first and is often even more painful. That second arrow is where suffering originates from.

In life, we can't always control the first arrow. However, the second arrow is our reaction to the first. The second arrow is optional.

💕

03/06/2026

❤️❤️❤️

03/05/2026

For the parents.

"How can I help my athlete succeed?"

As parents, we naturally want the best for our children. Especially when it comes to their athletic endeavors.

But, how can you help?

Foster a healthy mindset with your athlete. Keep expectations realistic and emphasize enjoyment, and growth over winning.

Firstly, this will help your athlete to develop a positive attitude towards their sport, leading to increased engagement and a higher likelihood of long-term participation. Secondly, a healthy mindset allows athletes to cope better with setbacks and failures, viewing them as valuable learning opportunities instead of overwhelming obstacles.

Other helpful tips:

Encourage open communication and practice active listening.

Emphasize effort, improvement, and the joy of participation rather than only focusing on outcomes.

Avoid comparing your child to other, as each athletes journey is unique.

Celebrate small achievements along the way.

Most importantly, keep it simple.
It's easy to get caught up in the complexities of the game and the expectations that come with it.
Instead of overwhelming your child with a laundry list of demands, hold them accountable for just three fundamental things: their effort, their mindset, and their attitude.

💕

02/23/2026

Shift your mindset.

But what exactly is a mindset? A mindset is a person's way of thinking or mental attitude. It's the combination of your beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and attitudes. Not just your conscious thoughts and beliefs, but also what’s in your subconscious. There are two basic types of mindsets. Fixed Mindset: A fixed mindset believes that abilities are set in stone. You might also believe that talent and intelligence alone lead to success, and effort is not required....

But what exactly is a mindset? A mindset is a person’s way of thinking or mental attitude. It’s the combination of your beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and attitudes.  Not just your c…