Proper Diet Before Competition

The importance of eating correctly before a game has been well documented and is a necessary trait for the athlete who wants to compete at peak performance in any sport. I have seen in my own experiences how not eating correctly can affect the energy I have during a game.

With all the other factors that go into each game, such as physical preparation, mental preparation, and scouting, it is a real shame for an athlete to not know the correct diet to maintain in order to let all that preparation fully be seen out on the court.

Here is a core group of three things that athletes need to be putting into their bodies before each game. It is important to note that proper eating begins several days before the game, and also that it is best for athletes to eat 3 hours before the game to get the most out of all the nutrients.

  

                                 What to drink?

According the National Academy of Sports medicine, it is advised to drink 2 to 3 cups of fluid before game time. Also, 30 minutes before game time attempt to drink ½ to 1 cups of fluid. The ideal drinks would be simply water which has no negative properties to it. Also, even though Gatorade has sugar, it has electrolytes which will help keep muscles working properly. I have found Gatorade prime, the first step in the G Series, works extremely well if it is drunken 30 minutes before game time to prevent the cramping up of muscles.

                                                                 

                                    Foods with Carbohydrates

The pregame meal needs to consist of foods that are high in complex carbs, and these types of foods are the most important for athletes of any sports because carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle contractions. Once eaten, carbohydrates breakdown into smaller sugars) that get absorbed and used as energy. Whole grains are full of complex carbs and should be added to any meal before a game. Also look for leafy greens and rice if possible.

                             Foods with Protein

Protein is essential for rebuilding the muscles that are worn down during games, which is why proteins are a good meal for athletes both before and after games. Protein needs to be combined with the carbs in order to let each substance do its job. The carbs will provide the energy and the protein will provide the rebuilding of muscles. You do not want to lean simply on protein to provide energy for the game. The best foods to look for include meat, fish, and especially eggs. Eating these foods in the proper amount will help increase the strain you can take during the game. Also nuts are a quick snack that can be used before games to get solid protein as well.

                                                Food to Avoid

According to Yahoo Sports the nutrients that you need to avoid before the game include caffeine, foods with high sodium, and sugars. Specific foods to avoid which can cause issues to your digestive system before a game include cucumbers, beans, fiber rich grains, milk, and sugar alcohols. 

Faith in More

                                         Faith

If there is one thing that drives Milwaukee Marquette’s Coach David Cooks, it’s faith. You do not need to talk with him for very long to see just how influential and important his faith is to every aspect of his life.

I was told that Coach Cooks was a man who lived by his faith in Jesus Christ, but I truly experienced it after I was able to talk with him.

I asked Coach Cooks how important his faith is to him, and his first answer sentence summed up everything,

                             “Christ supersedes everything I do”

Coach Cooks explained to me how everything he does, whether its teaching, coaching, etc, falls under underneath living for Christ because this belief provides the boundries with which he runs his life.

 He can’t help but let it be seen because to Coach Cooks and so many others, its proves that you can be a Chrstian, be successful, and not have to succumb to certain practices that are a “norm” in the coaching arena. This does not mean that he is judging others by any means, but that he chooses to try to live by a set of higher standards. Coach expressed that:

“Who I am is because of who Christ is to me”

The faith within Coach Cooks is what drives him to do his very best, because of his belief that he is attempting to do his best for God’s glory. You cannot give a subpar effort, if you have a Christian faith, because you are not doing it for yourself or for others, but for God.

With this foundation built on faith, I asked Coach Cooks what he hopes to pass onto his players once they graduate. Coach Cooks four solid principles that he hoped he could give to his athletes.

1. He hoped to live out what he preached. He wanted to show his athletes that God is real and also Coach Cooks wanted to show his players that he loved them through the life that he lives.

2. He hoped to stress the importance of family, and of being part of a family. A family does not simply mean those immediately related to you, but instead extends to both teammates and coaches. Coach Cooks hoped that players would realize to rely on family, and to always be there for your team when they need you.

3. He hoped to help his players realize the importance of perspective, because when you have a correct perspective of the situation, you being to appreciate the things that you do have. 

4. Finally, he wanted his players to understand that there is no substitute for hard work. When his players do what is right with all their might, no matter what the outcome they can be satisfied.

Coach Cooks understands doing what is right no matter what the situation. He was been in a wheel chair for the past 32 years of his life, but has refused to let that prevent him from coaching or living for Christ. This same determination transfers to the basketball court where he believes that players should never quit, but continue to fight till the end. Coach stresses how there are so many lessons that be learned through the process of improving skills and working hard.

Overall, I believe that Coach’s Cooks life and his philosophy can be summed up this statement:

                   

                             

                 “Do everything with all of your might and strength unto God”

Coach Cooks should be a great example to all of us. Anyone who puts their faith and trust in Christ can live for a higher purpose. It is then possible to play for a purpose that is more important that the scoreboard.

Understanding Success: The John Wooden Way

John Wooden is one of the greatest speakers on success that we have ever known. I did a short video based on John Wooden's pyramid of success, which helps to view success beyond the scoreboard. View video by clicking the link below.

Pyramid of Success

Sheboygan Area Lutheran vs McDonell Central

Here are some photos from the D5 Semifinal between Sheboygan Area Lutheran (Green) and McDonell Central (White). Such an amazing start to the boys state finals with Sheboygan pulling away 63-61 behind Wisconsin recruit Sam Dekker's 35 points.

Steps to Improve Your Game

This is a prezi presentation that I put together, to highlight simple steps that athletes can take in order to improve their quickness over the off-season!

Talking On The Air at 1250 WSSP

So I had the opportunity last Saturday to go in studio at WSSP and sit down with my dad, Mike "Big Time" McGivern, on his Varsity Blitz Coach's show. This was my third time going in studio, and to be honest I always dread it beforehand, simply because of the nervousness that goes with talking on the air.


However,


I gotta admit that once I am asked that first question, all the nervousness goes away, and it becomes just as  natural as any other conversation with my dad as we talk about high school basketball. 


We talked a lot about this blog, and some of the experiences I have already learned while writing it. 


Here's the link to listen to my time that I was on the air. It definitely was a fun experience

1250 WSSP "Varsity Blitz"

WIAA Boys State Schedule

Thursday, March 15

DIVISION 5 - Semifinals - 1:35 p.m.

Sheboygan Area Lutheran (23-4) vs. McDonell Central (25-2)

Drummond (24-3) vs. Racine Lutheran (25-2)

DIVISION 4 - Semifinals - 6:35 p.m.

Oshkosh Lourdes (23-3) vs. Cuba City (26-0)

Colfax (24-2) vs. Dominican (25-1)

Friday, March 16

DIVISION 3 - Semifinals - 9:05 a.m.

Brillion (24-2) vs. Lodi (24-2)

Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau (25-1) vs. Marshall (23-3)

DIVISION 2 - Semifinals - 1:35 p.m.

Kaukauna (24-2) vs. DeForest (18-8)

Onalaska (25-1) vs. Pius XI (23-3)

DIVISION 1 - Semifinals - 6:35 p.m.

Germantown (26-0) vs. Madison Memorial (25-1)

Oshkosh North (19-7) vs. Milwaukee King (23-1)

Saturday, March 17 - Championship Saturday

SESSION 1 - 11:05 a.m.

Division 5 Championship Game

Division 4 Championship Game 

Division 3 Championship Game

SESSION 2 - 6:35 p.m.

Division 2 Championship Game

Division 1 Championship Game

Talking City Conference Basketball with Ty Moseler

Quick Facts:

Name: Milwaukee South Cardinals

            14-10 (7-6)

Head Coach: Ty Moseler (10^th year)

Conference: City Conference

The city conference is known for its solid basketball teams such Milwaukee Vincent, Milwaukee King, Milwaukee Riverside, etc. But there is so much more to this vast conference than just the most well-known teams. Within this conference there lies many great stories and one of them is found in Milwaukee South’s head coach Ty Moseler.

I had the pleasure of talking with Coach Moseler about the city conference and his beliefs as a man who has been coaching in the city conference for the past 10 years.

He proved to be a man who desires for his athletes to mature as men during their time in high school basketball.

I asked Coach Moseler how he felt the city conference compared this year to previous years.

·         He commented that individually, the top third of teams are still great teams with great players, the middle pack were all solid, and with a conference as big as the city conference, there were a few teams who went through a rebuilding year.

As a whole, Coach thought the conference proved to be better than what he had originally thought at the beginning of the year. Thanks in large parts to the return of Milwaukee Vincent’s Deonte Burton (18.8 ppg) and Milwaukee Hamilton’s Kevon Looney (22.5 ppg), the city conference was again a conference full of talent.

However, with the emergence of overall increased talent in other conferences, the discussion as to which conference would be the strongest in the state of Wisconsin is no longer simply given to the City Conference, but has become more debatable over the past 5 years.  

I also asked Coach Moseler about the pros and cons of being a City Conference coach, specifically at South Milwaukee.

He reminded me that there is no job that is perfect, and no jobs that are only positives. The same applies with coaching.

Negatively,

·         Coach Moseler admitted at times there can be difficulties dealing with player’s off-court issues that arise, and dealing with who they should surround themselves with.

·         Specifically at South Milwaukee it can be difficult trying to get numbers compared to other top City schools who get a lot of the more well-known players.

Positively,

 (Which I’d say far outweighs the negatives)

·         Coach said at South Milwaukee he is pleased that they often get kids who easily buy into the style that he desires to play at. They may not individually be as talented as some other top schools, but they have learned to play together and to pull their talents to improve themselves as a team.

·         Coach Moseler also mentioned the great Administration support he has received over the years, whether it’s a hands on or off approach, the Administration has always been supportive.

I then asked about the impact he hopes to have on the kids he coaches, that will stay with them when they graduate from high school.

And his answer showed he desired basketball to be more than just a game.

·         Coach Moseler discussed how he wanted his players to learn to simply make the right decisions out in the world. Everyone makes mistakes but it is necessary to learn from them and eliminate the bad decisions.

He hoped that as a coach he would be able to further grow his player’s love for the game, while stressing the importance it is to be a teammate. Not to focus on yourself, but to work together towards a common goal.

Finally, I simply asked Coach Moseler what he loves about high school basketball.

·         His answer kept going back to two things that he believes drives a whole lot of coaches which are:

STUDENTS and COMMUNITY.

There is nothing like going to a high school game and seeing all the students packed into the gym showing their school pride, or the community gathering around their local high school to witness the big game against the rival.

There is simply a great “excitement to be in that atmosphere”

And for any of you who have a witnessed a packed out high school gym, you know exactly what he means.

I really enjoyed my conversation with Coach Moseler, and sadly his cardinal’s season ended last Saturday against Racine Park. But I have no doubt that he will have his team ready to compete next year, and the years to follow.

Updated Tournament Brackets

After a weekend of games, here are what the brackets look like heading into the Sectionals:


Division 1


Division 2


Division 3


Division 4


Division 5

Celebrating A Life

January 16th seemed to be a practice like any other for the Grafton Blackhawks, until tragedy struck. Josh Davis-Joiner, a 6-2 guard, collapsed to the floor just as practice had began. All efforts to revive Josh failed, and he passed away a short time later at a local hospital.

He was only 17-years old.

There is no way to celebrate a tragedy, so in this case I do not want to focus on the tragedy, but instead on the celebration of Josh Davis-Joiner’s life and impact he had on his team.

I talked with Grafton’s Head Coach Kevin McKenna to find out more about Josh and the kind of player that he was, and even though I did not know Josh personally and had not heard of him before this tragedy, after talking with Coach McKenna I knew that Josh was a man I would have been privileged to call “teammate.”

Coach McKenna told me that he saw Josh was one of those students/kids who really went out of his way to look out for and help people.

“From the team aspect, he was a leader that we really didn't see until he was gone.  He always practiced hard, pushing others to do better but when they struggled he was there to help them up and give them a kind word to do better.”

That is why high school basketball is so great, because every single player is important, even those who's role may not be to score all the points, but who work hard in practice in order to make their teammates better.

“He always guarded the opponent’s best guard or player and did it with a passion. All of that is sorely and will be sorely missed. My lasting memory of Josh is his smile and outgoing personality.  He was always smiling and making friends with everyone.”
 

What a blessing Josh must have been to his team

I would also like to bring attention to the events that took place 4 days later in Grafton’s first game after the tragedy, at Port Washington High School. The game between Grafton and Port Washington was not one that mattered on the scoreboard, but instead it was an opportunity to show respect for what had happened.

Even though it was an away game, it felt like a home game for Grafton because of the support of the Port Washington Fans. The fans and cheerleaders of Port Washington all wore orange, Grafton’s colors, in support of the team after Josh’s death. Josh’s number, 32, was everywhere, and so was the color pink, Josh’s favorite color. Josh’s teammates wore warm-ups which had a poem that Josh had recently written in class:

"My adrenaline is skyrocketing. I'm in another world. The bond with my teammates carries us along, win or lose. We're all one big family."

After all he had been through, I asked Coach McKenna if there was anything he would say to coaches who may someday find themselves in the same situation.

“As far as to the coaches, that's the toughest question. As I have said there is no manual for this.  I would say to be comforting, talk to players and keep up with parents.  If they don't teach in the building keep up with teachers and other staff members. You don't always see how there doing just in practice. Practice seems to be a release, and a distraction.  I would rely on counselors they have a way of handling it well.  Lastly, I would say that your first concern is naturally for the kids, but you have the temptation to forget about your own feelings and emotions.  Don't forget to talk about it from your point of view as well.”

Josh Davis-Joiner’s death is very humbling, but his life is worth celebrating. My prayers go out to all those involved.  

WIAA Releases Boy's Tournament Brackets

WIAA has officially released this year's tournament brackets for high schools all across Wisconsin.


This will be the first year that the teams are seeded by the half-sectional instead regionals. Also the highest seeded team will host each game all the way through the regional, until the sectionals when games are played at neutral sites.


2012 Wisconsin High School's Basketball Brackets


Division 1


Division 2


Division 3


Division 4


Division 5

Interview With 1250's Mike "Big Time" McGivern

 Quick facts:

• Name: Mike McGivern
• Basketball History: Coached for 33 years including 15 in high school
• Where you may know him from: Host of 1250 WSSP's Varsity Blitz

I am honored to have had the chance to interview someone with as much high school basketball knowledge as Mike McGivern. Getting an interview with him was actually pretty simple considering he is also my father. But I realized I have never really sat down and just listened to his insights on the game of high school basketball. So this was actually a lot of fun.

I really wanted to get to the heart of high school and what makes it special, along with just reader's digest version of what to expect right now if you are new to the WI high school basketball arena. 

1) My Question: What makes high school basketball worth celebrating in your eyes?

1."I love the fact that these kids play for the love of the game. 99% of these kids play high school sports to represent their school, their family, and community. 

2.Players have to start to understand the term student/athlete and teamwork and all that goes a long way in their life. 

3.Lastly, the importance of learning how to win or lose with grace and dignity are such valuable lessons learned as young adults."

2) What do high school players need to know if they hope to one day play somewhere in college?

1."First and most important is that they have to take care of business in the classroom beginning in their freshman year. They cannot think that they can wait until their junior year to start focusing on their grades. 

2.As far as playing in college, I think that kids have to understand that on the college level, everyone was the star on their team at the HS level and they need to understand how much work they have to put into it to be able to compete."

3)  What are the greatest attributes a high school player needs to have if he wants to maximize his talents?     

      "Most importantly he needs to have strong drive, a passion for the game, and a humble spirit to accept direction."

4) What high school players in Wisconsin do fans need to know about? 

  

    1. "Three of the top players that most people are already talking about include Zak Showalter from Germantown, JP Tokoto from Menomonee Falls, and Sam Dekker from Sheboygan Lutheran."  

·         #3 Zak Showalter 6'3 Senior- 21.8 ppg (Germantown 20-0)

·         #10 Jean-Pierre Tokoto 6'6 Senior- 24.7 ppg (Menomonee Falls 11-8) 

·         #1 Sam Dekker 6'8 Senior- 31.2 ppg(Sheboygan Lutheran 15-4)

   

  2. "Another player is Diamond Stone from Dominican who is one of the best freshman players I have seen in a long time. I also really like Peter Drummond from Racine Lutheran. I love this kid's game but no one seems to talk about him as much as they should." 

·         #33 Diamond Stone 6'9 Fresman- 12.7 ppg (Dominican 18-1)

·         #21 Peter Drummond 5'11 Senior- 14.6 ppg (Racine Lutheran 16-2)

5) Which teams have positively surprised you this year?         

             "The teams that have surprised me with the success they've had this year are:

                           1.        West Allis Central (This Season 14-4, Last Season 8-16 ) 

                            2.     Milwaukee King (This Season16-1, Last Season 22-3)

                            3.       Milwaukee Vincent (This Season: 15-4, Last Season: 6-16)

                            4.       Watertown High School (This Season: 13-7, Last Season: 15-8)

        I really enjoyed this interview and I am sure you will be 
hearing from Mike McGivern again on this blog as we head into 
the State tournament.  

             BUT

    Just in case you can’t wait that long check out about Mike’s Wendy’s Varsity Blitz: 
            Basketball Edition 
oAnd the 1250 WSSP website at:

                           http://www.sportsradio1250.com/pages/10686868.php
      Or listen to his show directly 10am till Noon on Saturdays, only on AM 1250 WSSP. 

Building High School Success, Dominican High School

Quick facts:

• Name: Dominican High School
• Head Coach: Paul Wollersheim (17th season)
• Location: Whitefish Bay, WI
• Enrollment: 303
• Record: 17-1 (13-0)
• Ranking: 1st in Division 4
• Leading scorers: Jamall Taylor 20.1 ppg, Duane Wilson 18.7 ppg

Building a successful program at the high school level can be one of the more difficult tasks of a coach. You have only a couple years with each player, and not a lot of time to build chemistry usually needed for success.

That is why I am always impressed with those schools and coaches who are able to exemplify the heart of success by being competitive each and every year.

Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay is one of those schools.

The Knights are lead by head coach Paul Wollersheim and when I asked Coach Wollersheim exactly how he has been able to secure such a successful program, he had this to say

      "I think the biggest reason for our success at Dominican over the years has been our ability to get good players to understand the benefit of playing together and thinking team first"

Coach Wollersheim explained that this doesn't happen overnight, and can even take 2-3 years, because it can be difficult for players who may be used to receiving all the attention to grasp the team first concept. However, Coach has worked with his players to help them understand that personal attention comes with team success.

And Domincan sure has had success, with an 83% winning percentage over the previous 5 seasons

I asked Coach Wollersheim about this year's team and what contributes to their solid season thus far. 

He gave great credit to his team's veteran guard play of Jamall Taylor, Duane Wilson, and Breon Jordan who have a combined 10 years of varsity experience. 

• All three players are averaging in double figures and are shooting over 40% or better from the three point line.

What makes Dominican so dangerous is that teams cannot simply focus on their stopping their guards. Teams have to game plan to try and slow down 6'9 freshman Diamond Stone who controls the paint along side 6'8 senior Sam Starke. But I'm not done there, considering the Knights are also prepared with two 6'6 big men Jack Jelacic, and Patrick Fieldmeier.

One of the things I have seen first hand is the intensity Coach Wollersheim uses during practices to prepare his players for the games. That is why I asked him about his team's work ethic, and I gotta admit that I absolutely loved his answer:

"Overall our work ethic is solid"

Of course as a coach he always thinks that there should be more, but as the playoffs near he is confident that his team's intensity will rise even more. Which I know is a scary thought for any team having to face Domincan at any point during stretch run. 

All of this talent could go to waste without the proper fine tuning of the coach, and yet that is why Dominican shines. Coach Wollersheim knows how to fit the talent he is given each year and mold it into a successful team-first program. 

Congratulations to Dominican on their 71-47 victory tonight against Aquinas, and on yet another winning season!

For more information about Dominican High School visit their website at  http://www.dominicanhighschool.com/

The Celebration of High School Basketball

Celebrate

-To extol or praise

-To make widely known; display

Celebrating High School Basketball

The praise and display of the pure love of the game that is found in Wisconsin High School basketball.

This is NOT:

A blog for tearing down schools, players, or referees

THIS IS:

A blog for players who desire to learn from college coaches what it takes to play at the next level

A blog for high school coaches who desire to see their team publicly acknowledged for their hard work and accomplishments during the year

A blog for parents who want their kids to understand the importance of being a student athlete

A blog for all individuals who simply want to celebrate the game of high school basketball and appreciate the hard work done by players throughout Wisconsin

I truly believe that these players and coaches deserve to praised for their hard work on and off the basketball court!