Feb 13, 2021LSU Beach Volleyball Balancing Mental & Physical Health
Being a collegiate student-athlete, particularly at the NCAA Division I level, life is all about balance.
They need balance in their diet, balance in their training, and a balance between life between the lines and outside of them. Understanding this balance, the LSU beach volleyball coaching staff has worked with the athletic department’s strength coaches, athletic trainers, and dietitians to create a balance between prioritizing their student-athletes’ mental and physical health.
A recent story from LSUReveille.com outlined what the Tigers are doing to keep their student-athletes strong — both mentally and physically. Below is an excerpt from that article.
Head Coach Russell Brock has meetings weekly with the strength and conditioning coaches, the athletic trainer, and with the dietitian. The dietitian works closely with the girls as well, but it really is individual with the student-athletes.
“That is one of the pieces of the puzzle as an elite athlete that you have to pay attention to,” Brock said. “They learn more about their own bodies, diet, and nutrition through the guidance of the health professionals.”
Their diet helps them to maximize their ability to play the game. Each athlete has different requirements, and it allows them to have a personal engagement with the nutritionist and with the medical staff. It is a continual conversation so that the student-athletes can be at their best.
The staff encourages them to always take advantage of all the resources that they have on campus. The girls are surrounded by staff who aspire to help them be the best they can be.
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The team word for the year is togetherness. This word inspires a family vibe that stems from coaching. They have outdoor picnics at the parade grounds and will all have dinner together while social distancing. The girls always want to bond with one another outside of practice, reinforcing the team and family aspect of the program.
As a team, they all do daily self check-ins with one another to make sure everyone is feeling cared for and valued by everyone. The coaches and athletic trainers also check in with the girls to reinforce the family atmosphere.
To read the full story from LSUReveille.com on balancing mental and physical health, click here.
