By Jose Trujillo (@jAy_Ay_T):
It’s the most visually appealing sport.
Two teams running back and forth at a nonstop pace, battling to make the most baskets by way of jumpers, dunks, free-throws, layups and alley-oops.
It’s basketball.
Watch it on tv or attend a game, and it won’t be long before a highlight play or amazing exhibit of athleticism gets your nod of approval.
But in the span of 40 minutes, it can’t all be pretty layups and deep three pointers. There is no shortage of players diving for loose balls, fighting over screens, bumping bodies for position and boxing out for rebounds.
“Physically, your legs will be sore,” said freshman guard Caleb Simmons. “You might get elbowed in the jaw, or elbowed in the pointer, and it might sting … but you have to have the right mindset.”
Players must remember that while basketball may not be football, there is no doubt it takes a physical demand on the body.
“It’s taxing on the body,” said junior guard Jaycee Hillsman.“Especially on your legs as far as lactic acid, bumps and bruises and conditioning.”
That is why it’s necessary for players must be in the best of shape. The sport will gas you out.
“Basketball is a hard sport,” said junior center Oumar Barry. “A lot of running involved, so you have to be in shape, get in the weight room, get strong. You will be running up and down that’s gonna get a lot of wear and tear on your body… you have to be ready for that.”
Barry recommends an ice-bath as one way to recover after a game. He also suggests taking vitamins and maintaining a healthy diet and his teammates agree.
“It’s really important how you recover, and what you put into your body,” Hillsman said. “That’s one of the main things I focused on over the years is what I put into my body… and taking care of your body as far as taking your ice-baths and epsom salt baths. Those are all important.”
After an ice-bath, players look forward to postgame or post-practice eating. Each player has his own go-to recovery meal.
“I really like chicken breast and some greens, like asparagus, that type of food,” Hillsman said.
For Simmons, there is only one type of recovery meal.
“I always say soul food is the best food for the soul,” Simmons said. “When I am mentally tired, or physically fatigued, I’ll have to get some soul food. It’s just food that is really comforting.”
Barry feels that there is no special food to help you recover overnight.
“There is no magic food,” Barry said. “You’re not gonna say ‘I’m gonna eat this and by tomorrow I will be 100 percent,’ never. You just gotta eat lots of fruits and drink lots of water”
Instead, the junior center feels that when he really needs to recover, nothing works better than rest.
“Sometimes I feel like you just need a day off because it’s not like you can go 100 percent everyday. Everybody needs a day off, even superstar NBA players need a day off,” Barry said. “Even us, sometimes after an intense game we need to recover because playing and practicing everyday makes no sense.”
So every time a player dives for a loose ball, collides with an opposing player or slams on the hardwood, just know, he will feel it later that night. Possibly for the next few days, too.
