Brent Coralli, CEO of Sting Soccer, posted today about his registered dietitian’s nutritional advice which appeared in the Dallas Morning News health blog.

Brent Coralli: 5 Nutritional Must-Haves for Kids on Summer Teams - by Sting’s RD in Dallas Morning News, talks about Coralli’s working relationship with Kelly Murphy, RD, who is one of the only RDs on staff for a youth soccer club in the United States.

Sting Soccer’s RD offers 5 nutritional must-haves for kids on summer teams ran on June 9th and provides readers with five nutritional must-haves for summer practices and games.

From the article:

“Water,” Kelly says, “is clearly the No. 1 thing we want kids to be focusing on to stay hydrated.” She doesn’t just mean water breaks during practices and game; she means drinking water all the livelong day before practice as well as after.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: For every pound lost through sweating during practice, consume 16 ounces of fluid to rehydrate.

Fruits

Grapes, oranges, melon, apples, bananas and kiwis and other fruits aren’t just packed with water, but also vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals….which kids might not care about but parents do. Plus, Kelly says, “All these give your kid’s body the right nutrients to last 90 minutes during a game as well as help with recovery after the game.”

Vegetables

Think nice, watery cucumbers and tomatoes (which some call fruits; others, vegetables). Make sure your kids get two to three cups of these and/or other vegetables every day. They contain nutrients and natural electrolytes to help kids (well, all of us, really) recover and heal from training and games.

Milk, chocolate or otherwise

This is a wonderful post-exercise drink for a variety of reasons, Kelly says. It helps meet your fluid needs, and contains protein and carbohydrates to help reenergize and rebuild your muscles.

Low-sugar electrolyte sports drinks

“I know sports drinks are talked and debated about a lot, but in the Texas summer heat they can help kids consume what they need to during training sessions and games,” Kelly says. “Although it would be great if all kids loved water and fruit, not all do and these can help them.”

Beware though, she says: “Most sports drinks contain a lot of sugar that can not only spike blood sugar and cause them to crash afterwards, but can also draw fluids into the gut, which is the opposite of what we want to happen.”

Therefore, aim for low-sugar versions such as Gatorade G-2 packets or Clif hydration shots (which come in packets). Kelly says she encourages the packets “because they limit the portion size and they do not have too much sugar. They provide energy with some electrolytes that help with maintaining hydration. Kids only needs a little bit, water can do most of the trick.”

Brent Coralli, CEO of Sting Soccer, posted his most recent blog today. Brent Coralli’s Sting Soccer Player Profile: Once Rival, Now Advocate - Jessica Schuveiller [link], talks about how Jessica Schuveiller never imagined herself as a Sting Soccer player. She was on a rival team and it wasn’t until her coach – current Director of Coaching at Sting Soccer – Kenny Medina moved to Sting. It was Jessica’s senior year in high school when he went to Sting Soccer and her team followed. “Our once rival club team became the uniform we wore, which was at first really hard,” Jessica said.

Today, Jessica Maday lives in Fort Worth with her college sweetheart/husband, and their one year old son.  She is currently the National Accounts Manager at VOLA Sports and reports to VOLA and Sting Soccer CEO, Brent Coralli.

So what changed?

In the blog, we learn about:

-        How Jessica felt when she first got to Sting and when and how those feelings changed; and

-        Jessica’s soccer play at the University of Notre Dame, including her winning the National Championship.

“That feeling of never being complacent, always striving to be the best and how to be a team player are just some of the intangibles that have helped me in all facets of my life. You can't teach what it means to have someone's back. That is something you experience by being a part of something greater than yourself and I truly believe soccer shaped who I am.

 “It takes hard work, “Jessica explained. “You have to do the things when no one is watching. Let your play do the talking and don't give up when you’re sitting the bench because when you get your chance, you want to be ready. Be accountable. It's easy to point fingers, but taking responsibility is respectable and will take you far not just in soccer, but in life.”

In addition, the blog talks about:

-        The success of Jessica’s teammates; and

-        What Jessica thinks about Brent Coralli and what he has accomplished with Sting Soccer.

Go to Brent Coralli’s Sting Soccer Player Profile: Once Rival, Now Advocate - Jessica Schuveiller to read the entire blog. 

Brent Coralli, CEO of Sting Soccer, posted his most recent blog today. Brent Coralli on When Parents Go Over The Line, talks about the unfortunate reality of parents acting inappropriately at children’s sporting events and what can be done.

“We may never get to a point where the only action we see is on the field played by our sons and daughters, but there are things we can do to encourage proper behavior on and off the field,” Coralli said in the blog. 

Anyone who has ever sat in the stands of a high school or junior high sporting event – whether baseball, football or, yes, even soccer – has probably witnessed a fan, parent or coach go over the line. Yelling at what is perceived to be a blown call; taking umpires and referees to task for getting it wrong; or, even worse, getting into it with another fan, coach or parent. All while the players on the field (perhaps the perpetrator’s son or daughter) try to practice good sportsmanship and fair play.

Making matters worse, this sometimes reprehensible behavior has made its way to the pee-wee set. Yes, we are now seeing – on a more than regular basis, grown men and women losing “it” over their child’s (we are talking 10 years old and younger) game where it is common to not keep score/everyone gets on base/etc.

At Sting, coaches and are not the parents of any members of the team they are coaching. All coaches are paid and are required to participate in resolution-training courses. As reported on earlier, Sting is in the process of implementing a Learning Management System (LMS) so every coach receives the same training and are certified annually. No coach will be permitted to step on a field without the annual certification.

Every Sting parent is aware of the “Education of Life Through Soccer” Philosophy and the five values every Sting player is taught and expected to honor/follow - Pride, Tradition, Character, Commitment and Leadership. Prior to the start of each season, parents are reminded as to the goals for the season and what is truly important. 

In addition, older Sting players are encouraged to referee a younger team’s game - - allowing players and parents to see what it is like to be a referee. “Providing a different perspective is something that is valuable to the players and to the parents,” Brent said. “We have found that those who referee have a new found respect and understanding – not only for the refs – but for the coaches, fans and game itself.”

To learn more about what Sting is doing, read When Parents Go Over The Line.

Brent Coralli’s Goal Scores With Me, written by Andy Shane, was published today in CommPro.biz, a blog provided by CommPRO.biz LLC (CommPRO) to give visitors the opportunity to read about events and share opinions for those interested the MARCOM field.

Shane’s blog talks about his business relationship with Coralli, CEO of Sting Soccer, the oldest, and arguably, the most decorated girls’ club soccer group in the United States.

“When I first met with Brent, I didn’t quite know what to expect,” Shane said. “I wasn’t particularly passionate about soccer, but when Brent told me he was about showing young girls that it is okay to take care of themselves, to be confident and leaders off the field, I was hooked.

“I should have known better than anyone that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover,” Shane said, referring to what he credits as the real start of his career in media relations, his time as a book publicist at Planned Television Arts, now Media Connect.

In the blog, Shane explains how Coralli - the father of two daughters (and a son) felt it was important that his daughters’ embrace that they can do anything they want to if they set their mind to it. At Sting, they believe in ‘The Education of Life Through Soccer’ and teach their girls the importance of Pride, Tradition, Character, Commitment and Leadership. These attributes can be seen on and off the field. 

Shane continues in the blog, explaining how Sting girls have a rigorous schedule - - whether it is practicing two to three times a week, traveling to games throughout the country, keeping up their grades and participating in community service - - they are still netting real results. This year alone, Sting girls received scholarships - - many of them full-rides - - to colleges like Notre Dame, Kentucky, A&M and many, many others.

“For me, Brent Coralli is an MVP to hundreds of young women. Every day, he shoots and scores,” Shane said.

Brent Coralli, CEO of Sting Soccer, posted the last of a three-part series of nutritional blogs - Brent Coralli Asks Sting Soccer’s Registered Dietitian Health and Nutrition Questions – today. In the blog, Kelly Murphy, a registered and licensed dietitian, continues to provide insights on the health and well-being of young athletes.

Coralli asked Murphy: about preparing for game time, common nutritional misnomers and how Kelly got involved with Sting.

Murphy’s answers include:

• The night before a game Sting player needs to make sure to eat carbs and fluids (in addition to vegetables and lean protein). Especially if they had practice, it is important to make sure to replace their glycogen stores (or stored energy).
• It is also important to consume enough fluids because dehydration can greatly affect your play. You can monitor whether or not you have had enough based on the color of your urine (aim for really pale yellow).
• A good meal a night before a game could be whole-wheat pasta with pasta sauce and turkey meatballs with a whole grain dinner roll and steamed broccoli.
• The morning of the game it is important to eat. A lot of players do not like to eat the morning before an early game but you must - if this sounds familiar, find something that works for you - - like 100 percent fruit juice or a couple pieces of toast with jelly.
• Half time is another time to get in fluids, carbs and electrolytes - - a cup of a sports drink or even some orange slices can help you out.
• After the game try to eat within 30 minutes of finishing, it doesn't have to be a huge meal but something with carbohydrates and protein like chocolate milk.
• In regards to protein supplements, most soccer players do not need more protein than they can consume on a daily basis; there will always be exceptions but since their intake should be primarily carbohydrates, there tend to be few who need protein supplements.
• Another misnomer is that carbohydrates are bad for athletes. From all of the recommendations I have given so far, I’m sure you can tell that that is not the truth. Soccer players need carbohydrates because they are a fuel. Too many calories can be detrimental to anyone’s health let alone their performance but soccer players have higher needs, therefore need more food and carbohydrates than the average person.
• Sting is great club. It definitely stands out from the many clubs here in Dallas. Being a Dallas transplant, I recognized Sting as having more to offer than other clubs including special programs like the ETA and special fitness and agility coaches working with the players.

For more nutritional information, read the entire blog.