Andrew Smyth, MMedSc*, Mahshid Dehghan, PhD*, Martin O’Donnell, PhD, Craig Anderson, MD, Koon Teo, MD, Peggy Gao, MSc, Peter Sleight, DM, Gilles Dagenais, MD, Jeffrey L. Probstfield, MD, Andrew Mente, PhD and Salim Yusuf, DPhil
Results: During 56 months of follow-up, 4,699 cases of cognitive decline occurred. We observed lower risk of cognitive decline among those in the healthiest dietary quintile of modified Alternative Healthy Eating Index compared with lowest quintile (hazard ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.66–0.86, Q5 vs Q1). Lower risk of cognitive decline was consistent regardless of baseline cognitive level.
Conclusion: We found that higher diet quality was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline. Improved diet quality represents an important potential target for reducing the global burden of cognitive decline.
As said by Dr. Jesse Henley, pesticides kill pests by damaging their cellular structure. Though pesticides, fungicides, growth regulators, and herbicides were meant to control how a plant grows, there is no doubt that they affect us too – and we are using more pesticides and herbicides than ever.
Strangely, these chemicals aren’t destroying pests – they are likely destroying us.
As Dr. Henley explains, when pesticides and herbicides were invented, 37 percent of our crops were being lost to pests – 57 years later, more than 37 percent of our crops are being destroyed. What else is being harmed in the process of all this spraying? Complete article
UAB Sand Volleyball coach Bailey Coleman joined Stephen McCarthy to talk about the love of the game and the benefits players receive by playing outside in the sand, as well as, her perspective on young athletes and the game of sand volleyball.
Coach Coleman grew up playing volleyball on the beach in South Carolina. At that time there was no sand volleyball, so she played indoor at Georgia Southern. When the opportunity arose for her to coach outside in the sand, she was very excited about the possibilities, not only for herself, but the athletes as well. She talked about how her athletes improved in ways you would expect, passing, setting, and hitting, but with a couple additional benefits, the athletes improved their ability to think independently, they became better teammates, and shortened the amount of time they needed to get over the bad plays. For the entire interview, click here.
Coach Bailey Coleman Bio:
UAB Sand Volleyball Coach Bailey Coleman
Bailey Coleman enters her second season as an assistant coach at UAB for the indoor volleyball team and first season as head coach of the sand volleyball team. Coleman comes to Birmingham from the University of Montevallo, where she spent the pervious two seasons as an assistant coach under Katie O’Brien. While with the Falcons, she assisted in all aspects of coaching, including recruiting, travel and constructing scouting reports. For additional information, visit here.
As a player, 3 time Olympian and Professional volleyball player Lindsey Berg has been at the forefront of USA Olympic volleyball for over 10 years and she admits that she was not always the most athletic person on the floor. How did this happen? She attributes her success to the early development of her “love of the game.” Today’s world of sport is littered with how-to camps and power tripping coaches who just think they have all the answers, our hope is more coaches will encourage young people to shake off all the reasons why they can’t, and find within their heart a deeper motive for playing the game of volleyball.
Click here to hear Lindsey on how she did not take the traditional path to elite performance, how some in the volleyball community did not see her potential, and how she overcame with the understanding that elite performance has to be deeper than just athletic ability. The link is about have way down the page.
University of Minnesota coach Hugh McCutcheon
Secondly, former Olympic and current University of Minnesota coach, Hugh McCutcheon attacked the same question. The unique part of this discussion is how close their thoughts match. Click here for the entire interview.
The answer.. When you are young, play numerous sports in a pickup game format. Come to realize the sport you love and become really good at that one you choose.
Sadly, easy to understand and agree, but hard to go against the grain and therefore, not used very often.
Designed for boys and girls aged 12 and up. Our Sand Volleyball Camp is a great combination of instruction, fitness, and fun outside in the sun and the sand. Our hope is to create an positive environment for enjoying the game of volleyball, while having a great week outside.
The camps will be held at Lord Fletchers Old Lake Lodge in Spring Park, MN. Lord Fletchers has a great view of Lake Minnetonka, as well as, a great atmosphere to play volleyball. The Thursday camp will be held at Theodore Wirth Lake Beach in Golden Valley, MN. A beautiful beach centrally-located off Hwy 100.
Each day will consist of 1.5 hours of technique and athlete development drills, while the last 1.5 hours will be playing the game. If time permits after each session, open volleyball will be available.
On the last day of the camp, we will be holding a camp wide tournament. The top 3 teams will be entered in a local Junior event. to be determined. Each camp is $130.00.
Camp #2 1pm-4pm, July 27th through July 31st at Lord Fletchers
Camp #3 Tuesday afternoons from 1pm-4pm starting June 16 through July 21st, except July 7th at Lord Fletchers
Location Information:
Camp #1, #2, #3
Lord Fletchers
3746 Sunset Drive
Spring Park, MN. 55384
Phone: (952) 471-8513
Cost: $130 per player
Camp Directors:
Stephen McCarthy: Stephen has researched and developed innovative training techniques specific to life and sport for over 15 years. His clients have accomplished their goals of performance. His athletes have received college scholarships and played professionally, as well as, won state championships and national championships.
Stephanie Chapek: Steph is a Big Ten All-Conference selection and All-American from the University of Minnesota. She played on the USA national team and professionally in Europe. Most recently, Steph played beach volleyball including time on the AVP tour and several international tournaments. Steph coached both indoor and outdoor teams and camps and has worked with several top beach coaches.
If you are looking for an afternoon of adventure, The McCarthy Project is ready to help you test your limits. Join us for a fun outdoor experience:
Outdoor Climbing Only: 3 hours on the high and low ropes challenge course.
• $80 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for one
• $160 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for two
• $320 for three hours of outdoor rock climbing for four
Location:
Camp Eden Wood
6350 Indian Chief Road
Eden Prairie, MN 55436
612-741-0982
Rock Climbing and Zipline: 3 hours on the high and low ropes challenge course, as well as, up to 4 zip lines.
• $110 for three hours for one
• $220 for three hours for two
• $400 for three hours for four
Location:
Uncle Fogy Nature Center
10454 108th Street Nw
Annandale, MN 55302
612-741-0982
Climbs include: Cargo Net, Flat Climbing Wall, Incline Wall, Donkey Kong, The Giants Ladder, and X-Climb. The McCarthy Project provides all needed gear and will train first-timers on-site before they climb — so no prior experience or certification is needed to participate.
Each session is by appointment only, we do not have traditional retail hours with staff on site available for walk-ups.
For additional questions or information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982. Group discounts available.
Feedback from customers:
Thanks again my group had a great time yesterday!, Katie, September 13, 2015
Be sure to bring your own water and snacks, August 02, 2015
Great bonding and teamwork experience — Instructors were amazing and provided excellent encouragement! Tons of fun!, July 11, 2015
Dear Steve and Crew, I want to tell you how much I appreciate your help in accomplishing my desire to try zip-lining! I was on the lung transplant list at the U. of MN. fifteen years ago, but I decided to forego the transplant when the time came. The thought of spending the rest of my life taking anti-rejection meds and all the attending protocols didn’t appeal. It hasn’t been an easy fight back, but today was an affirmation of my decision and a truly awesome experience! I’ll be 70 this November and I’m looking forward to a few more good years! Thanks again for your help – you’re terrific!, Pat p.s. (can’t wait to show the Dr. the pics!)
June 19, 2016
We had a great time. It was hot, but fun. Bring plenty of water!, July 11, 2015
Great afternoon of fun! Excellent instruction with great gear, June 27, 2015
AWESOME instructor!!!! Lots of FUN!!!!! January 25, 2015
Important Information for Attendees:
1. Each session will start with safety and climbing/gear instruction, with that said, the best case scenario is to arrive approximately 15 min before the start time. Bring a copy of your waiver for each participant. Lastly, the zipline is located in the woods, so pack plenty of water and snacks for the session.
2. If you do not receive email confirmation of your reservation, you should assume that you are not added to the attendee list or the session has been cancelled and re-attempt to contact myself via email or a phone call.
3. Verify the location of the session, the majority are scheduled at Uncle Fogy Nature Center in Annandale, MN. If in doubt, contact us immediately to avoid arrival at the incorrect location.
4. When you arrive at Uncle Fogy, you will need to take a right into the nature center and park in the lot on the right. Then follow the road all the way to the back of the property to the zipline tower. FYI, if using Google maps, it will bring you to the left side of the road, which is Camp Friendship. Uncle Fogy is on the opposite side of the road about a 100ft to the east of the Camp Friendship parking lot.
View of Climbing Tower in Annandale, MN
5. Weather related questions. The general rule of thumb is the session will not be cancelled unless lightning is present. In the case of a cancellation, we will contact you as soon as decision is made, at that time, we will reschedule. If bad weather arrives during the session, we will delay the session and make a decision based on the circumstances of the day.
For additional questions or information, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.
Due to massive government subsidies given to farmers to grow genetically engineered crops in the past, U.S. food manufacturers and farmers are now being caught blindsided by the sweeping demand for non-gmo and organic crops. In a twist of irony, this is driving a massive increase of organic crop imports from nations that are largely free of bioengineering.
Bloomberg news recently reported that:
“Most of the corn and soybean shipments become feed for chickens and cows so they can be certified organic under U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines. Organic poultry and dairy operators shun feed made with seeds from Monsanto Co. and other domestic suppliers in favor of foreign products even as the U.S. remains the world’s top grower of corn and soybeans. As a result, imports to the United States of Romanian corn rose to $11.6 million in 2014 from $545,000 the year before. Soybean imports from India more than doubled to $73.8 million.”
After countless years of the public voting with their dollars against GMO food and its associated toxins, the impact is now measurable on every level of the supply chain. At the top, Monsanto is sustaining continual financial loss, major chains like whole foods are being forced to go GMO free, and product manufacturers unwilling to switch are instantly losing market share.
A quick look at the trend confirms the sustained strength of growth in organic food sales is real:
2011: Americans spent $29.2 billion on organic foods
2012: Americans spent $31.5 billion on organic foods
2013: Americans spent $35 billion on organic foods
2014: Americans spent $39.1 billion on organic foods
Our Sunday night training sessions are designed to elevate performance through training, nutrition, and education. Each 90 minute session’s goal is to develop full spectrum athleticism, while addressing ways to prevent repetitive movement injuries.
Time and Location:
Sunday, May 17th at 6:30pm
Northdale Middle School.
11301 Dogwood St NW
Coon Rapids, MN 55448
Cost is $25.00 per person.
Call Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 for more information.
Designed for beginner, intermediate, and advanced players aged 18 and up. Our Adult Sand Volleyball Clinics are a great combination of practical instruction, dynamic fitness, and fun. Our hope is to help players of all ages and abilities become the best they can be. Check below for clinic locations, schedules, pricing and other details. After each clinic, open volleyball will be available for all attendees. Team sessions are available upon request. For additional information, call Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.
Walk up’s are welcome.
Dates and Locations:
Eagles Club-Shakopee, MN
220 2nd Ave W. (Fuller St. and 2nd Ave.)
Date: TBD
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Cost: $35.00 per person
Lord Fletchers
3746 Sunset Drive
Spring Park, MN. 55384
Phone: (952) 471-8513
Date: TBD
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Cost: $35.00 per person
Location To Be Determined
Date: TBD
Level: Beginner-Intermediate
Cost: $35.00 per person
Camp Instructors:
Stephen McCarthy: Stephen has researched and developed innovative training techniques specific to life and sport for over 15 years. His corporate and individual clients have accomplished their goals of a higher standard of health and wellness. His athletes have received college scholarships and played professionally, as well as, won state championships and national championships. Currently, Stephen is a USAV certified official, a certified USAV BeachImpact beach volleyball coach, as well as, a certified personal trainer holding a degree in Liberal Studies from St. Cloud State University.
Ben Glover, 6’4″ PG, Gillete JUCO, Sophomore, Mid-Major D1 prospect, high major athleticism, high basketball IQ
Darrion Strong, 6’1″ Combo Guard, Coffeyville CC, Freshman, Mid Plus D1 prospect, 3rd Team All-American, 22ppg, Athtetic and quick first step, 40% 3pt
Diallo Powell, 6’3″ Wing, Lake Region CC, Sophomore, Lowt to Mid Major D1 prospect, All-Conference, big time defendor, 19ppg, athletic, explosive in lane, mid-range game
Darrien Butler, 6’6″ Wing, HRSA Academy 2015, athletic, 43″ vertical, good mid range, Currently unsigned JUCO/Prep School prospect
Devoris Wright, 6’5″ Combo Guard, HRSA Academy 2015, athletic, 39″ vertical, good mid range game, raw, big time finisher. Currently unsigned JUCO/Prep school prospect
Nick Anderson, 6’0″ Point Guard, JUCO Prospect, high basketball IQ, great ballhandler and elite passer, good mid range.
Jeremy Johnson, 6’4″ Combo Guard, Champlin Park High School 2015, Mid Major D1 prospect, 2 time all-conference, qualifier, high major athletic, excellent 3pt shooter.
Players for NAIA, JUCO, D2, D3
Jerry Pratt, 6’4″ Wing, Hibbing Community College, All-conference, athletic, rebounder and finisher, 1 year of eligibility
Train Sandifer, 6’4″ Combo Guard, North Hennepin CC, 3pt shooter and mid range, athletic, 2 years of eligibility
Lamar Anderson, 6’3″ Combo Guard, NIAC JUCO, All-conference, athletic, 3pt shooter, 2 years of eligibility
Abdulsalan Osman, 6’7″ Center, St Paul Academy 2015, Qualifier, skilled post-game, all-conference, Low major D1/D2 prospect
Farmers who are using antibiotics to keep pests away from their crops are making children allergic to the fruits and vegetables they grow, research suggests.
Several years ago, more than 150 scientists and 50 farmers came out in support of stricter limits on antibiotics used in animal agriculture as part of a broader effort to tackle the public health crisis caused by growing antibiotic resistance. But now, in a case highlighted in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, this concern rears its head more aggressively. Not only are antibiotics that are used in livestock harmful, but the antibiotics being used on fruits and vegetables are causing other problems.
The journal had detailed how a 10-year-old girl who ate a blueberry pie had a near-fatal allergic reaction. It turns out the problem wasn’t the blueberries, but the antibiotic streptomycin. The blueberries had been treated with the antibiotic to keep bacteria, fungi, and algae from growing on the fruit.
Team Quest will be hosting a MYAS Super Saver Tournament in Elk River, MN
36 teams from all over Minnesota will be playing at Salk Middle School and Vandeberg Middle School in Elk River, MN on March 1st, 2015.
About Team Quest:
Spend the day on our challenge course and experience the fun and creative low ropes and the daring high ropes. Bring your team closer, be more productive and focus on the strengths of individuals. More information on Team Quest, click here.
About MYAS:
The Minnesota Youth Athletic Services, Inc. (MYAS) was organized in 1991 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the delivery of youth sports services to young athletes, coaches and parents. The MYAS is Minnesota’s largest multi-sport organization focused solely on youth athletics with more than 150,000 kids participating in our programs annually. The MYAS is a central clearinghouse for youth sports, serving as an information channel linking hundreds of youth associations, coaches, and thousands of parents. For more information on MYAS, click here.
When Lakers rookie forward Julius Randle suffered a broken leg in his NBA debut, most believed it was just a freak accident. Dr. Cate Shanahan, the director of the Lakers PRO Nutrition Program, has a different view.
“He just didn’t have enough dairy in his life,” Shanahan said.
It’s not an issue that she believes is exclusive to Randle.
From the broken leg suffered by Indiana Pacers forward in August to the broken leg that Louisville guard Kevin Ware suffered in the 2013 NCAA tournament, Shanahan believes there’s a dangerous trend, one that she said she predicted would happen a few years ago.
“From my perspective, there’s an epidemic of bone health problems in pro sports because guys are drinking soda instead of milk,” Shanahan said. “They’re just not getting enough calcium.”
She said she has calculated that some players are only getting 25 to 30 percent of the recommended daily calcium intake. (Webmd.com recommends that adult males between 19 and 50 take 1,000 milligrams of calcium on a daily basis.)
But she also stressed that taking calcium pills isn’t enough to help strengthen bones. “We’re not designed to eat pills,” she said.
Shanahan said a key issue is the stigma surrounding dairy products.
“The big thing you get from dieticians is you have to worry about fat,” she said. “Dieticians are obsessed with calories. For some reason, they’re more obsessed about fat calories than sugar calories.”
That notion has largely carried over into the world of professional sports, she said. The end result, she said, is more catastrophic leg injuries from something as innocuous as a misplaced landing, such as what happened to George.
“It’s more what you’d expect when somebody is hit by a car versus when somebody is landing wrong,” she said.
Randle’s injury was even more perplexing to her.
“According to what I saw [with Randle], it wasn’t even the landing,” she said. “The problem started on takeoff. It looked to me like he twisted his leg when he broke off the ground.”
Regardless, Shanahan said the Lakers don’t look at dairy in a negative light. They serve players grass-fed cheese and Kobe Bryant drinks a low-sugar chocolate milk after games specially prepared by Whole Foods.
“We promote dairy,” Shanahan said. “We try to downplay the role of soda and even energy drinks.”
For complete article, click here. If you would like to know more on how real milk can improve performance, contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982.
Bone broth helping to keep Kobe Bryant on the court in the twilight of his career
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant lay crumpled on the court, his left ankle severely sprained after landing on an opponent’s foot. Dr. Cate Shanahan saw it all unfold on TV and immediately picked up the phone. She knew the Lakers’ star needed soup — fast.
Shanahan, the director of the Lakers PRO Nutrition Program, called the chef at the Atlanta hotel where the Lakers were staying that March 2013 night and ordered two bowls of hot chicken vegetable soup to be delivered to Bryant’s room.
This wasn’t your basic, store-bought soup, though. It was made with bone broth, a nourishing concoction rich in nutrient and minerals — and especially collagen — produced by simmering bones (pig, cow, fish, etc.) and other ingredients for hours.
Bryant called the sprain his worst since 2000. His ankle swelled to the size of a tennis ball. He was out “indefinitely.”
He missed only two games.
As Bryant creeps toward the two-decade mark in the NBA, every element of how he prepares, trains and recovers is so much more important, so much more amplified. Including what’s in his soup bowl, bone broth has become a daily staple of Bryant’s diet over the past three years. It’s the foundation of his pregame meal at home and on the road, and the Lakers put in long hours to make sure it’s carefully prepared for him at all times.”I’ve been doing the bone broth for a while now,” Bryant said. “It’s great – energy, inflammation. It’s great.”
In Chinese medicine there are approximate 120 herbs (out of thousands) that are ‘tonics.’ Some tonics are also known as ‘superior’ herbs – Superior tonic herbs can rebuild organ systems and repair damage from chronic diseases.For an herb to get classified as a ‘tonic,’ it must meet the following six specific qualifications (these qualifications are observed over literally thousands of years of use), Anti-aging characteristics include:
1. Broad and profound health; promoting actions that result in a radiant healthy life
2. Must help balance emotional and psychic energies to help improve one’s emotional and spiritual well-being.
3. Must have NO NEGATIVE side effects with reasonable use over a long period of time
4. Must be consumed easily and must be easily digestible and assimilated.
5. Must contain at least one of the three treasures, which are in Chinese medicine distinct types of energy, Jing, Qi and Shen. These 3 energies are complete as a human being.
My favorite of these tonic herbs is Cordyceps. As many of you know we use Cordyceps Sinensis in our NutriCafe Organic Coffees, Cocoa Mojo and our Protein Powder!
Cordyceps is highly regarded as an athlete’s herb, it improves stamina and increases muscle capacity. It is an oxygenating herb, i.e. it allows the body to assimilate oxygen more efficiently. For this reason, cordyceps is given to race horses.
Cordyceps is also known for its ability to improve sexual activity/performance – Many are unaware of this and there are absolutely no side effects!
Click here to read more about Cordyceps, it’s properties and benefits!
Be well!
Steve St. Clair
EnerHealth Botanicals
866-762-9238 ENERFOOD.COM
By Paul Joseph Watson, Infowars, Febraury 24, 2015
A new study carried out by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) has found that millions Americans who consume soda every day are putting themselves at risk of developing cancer as a result of an ingredient contained in many soft drinks.
4-Methylimidazole, commonly known as 4-MEI, is a coloring used by soft drink makers to give their beverages that distinctive dark hue. It can be found in many popular soft drinks, including Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Diet Cola.
However, 4-MEI is a carcinogen that has been found to increase rates of malignant tumors when fed to mice and rats in laboratory studies. Despite this research, the FDA has not restricted its use as a caramel coloring agent in food and drinks.
Sampling 110 brands of soda and soft drinks, the Johns Hopkins researchers found levels of 4-MEI ranging from 9.5 micrograms per liter to 963 micrograms per liter, with diet colas generally having higher concentrations.
The study found that the majority of the beverages sampled contained potentially harmful levels of 4-MEI.
“Soft drink consumers are being exposed to an avoidable and unnecessary cancer risk from an ingredient that is being added to these beverages simply for aesthetic purposes,” said senior author Keeve Nachman, PhD. “This unnecessary exposure poses a threat to public health and raises questions about the continued use of caramel coloring in soda.”
The study concludes that, “Federal regulation of 4-MEI in caramel color may be appropriate”.
Consumer Reports notes that the study is “another reason to cut back on soda, warning that 4-MEI is also, “found in a wide variety of foods, including bread and other baked goods, dark sauces such as soy or barbecue, pancake syrup, and soups.”
“This new analysis underscores our belief that people consume significant amounts of soda that unnecessarily elevate their risk of cancer over the course of a lifetime,” asserted Urvashi Rangan, PhD, adding that the federal government should follow California’s example of setting a threshold for 4-MEI exposure. In the golden state, sodas need to be sold with a cancer warning label if they exceed the 29 ug per day limit.
Previous studies have found levels of 4-MEI that reach almost 700 ug per liter in cola soft drinks, up to 2000 ug per liter in coffee, and up to 28,000 ug/liter in dark beer.
Paul Joseph Watson is the editor at large of Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com.
Lindsey Berg, Stephen McCarthy, Coach Chad Braegelmann Create a Unique Volleyball Experience
We will be holding an All Skills Camp July 23rd on the campus of the University of Minnesota-Morris in Morris, MN. Former University of Minnesota, 3 time Olympian, and professional volleyball player, Lindsey Berg will be sharing her story of rising from a high school player in Hawaii to attending college in Minnesota to the Olympics, as well as, how she developed her game by playing with her heart and a love of the game, first and foremost. Secondly, Minnesota Morris Head Coach Chad Braegelmann and his athletes will be on staff sharing their thoughts on high level performance within life and sport.
Stephen McCarthy and Lindsey Berg with some of the camp participants at 2013 Cuore Volleyball Camp.
Here is a quick overview:
The camp is designed to not only teach the fundamentals of volleyball, but to also teach the fundamentals of life. The camp will show how you can develop the love of the game, while playing your best. The camp teaches life lessons through volleyball and promises to be an experience you won’t soon forget. Lindsey Berg, Coach Braegelman, and MN-Morris athletes will be on court for all sessions, while Stephen McCarthy off-court.
The cost is $60 for the 2.5 hour session. The session is for girls aged 10 and up.
Special Offer: As of 7/17/2015, we only have 10 spaces remaining for the camp, so we are offering a special price of $40 for the next 10 registrants.
U of M Alum and 3-time USA Olympic Team Setter Lindsey Napela Berg from December 2013 camp in Minnesota.
Parents are welcome to attend all sessions.
Camp Schedule:
10:45: Arrive and check-in
11:00 am Introductions and Warmup
11:15 am On-court drills, stories, and ways to develop the love of the game for high school players
1:00 pm Pillars of Nutrition and Training
1:15 pm Question and Answer Session with Lindsey
1:30 pm Session completed
Lindsey Berg and Stephen McCarthy Partner to Create a Unique, Creative Volleyball Experience
We are excited to announce an All Skills Camp July 27th at the National Volleyball Center in Rochester, MN. Former University of Minnesota, 3 time Olympian, and professional volleyball player, Lindsey Berg will be sharing her story of rising from a high school player in Hawaii to attending college in Minnesota to the Olympics, as well as, how she developed her game by playing with her heart and a love of the game, first and foremost.
Stephen McCarthy and Lindsey Berg with some of the camp participants at 2013 Cuore Volleyball Camp.
Here is a quick overview:
The camp is designed to not only teach the fundamentals of volleyball, but to also teach the fundamentals of life. The camp will show how you can develop the love of the game, while playing your best. The camp teaches life lessons through volleyball and promises to be an experience you won’t soon forget. Lindsey Berg will be on court for all sessions, while Stephen McCarthy off-court.
The cost is $60 for the 2.5 hour session. The morning session is for girls aged 10-14 and the afternoon for 15 and up.
U of M Alum and 3-time USA Olympic Team Setter Lindsey Napela Berg from December 2013 camp in Minnesota.
Parents are welcome to attend all sessions.
Camp Schedule:
Morning Session:
8:30am Arrive and check-in
9:00 am Introductions and Warmup
9:15 am On-court drills, stories, and ways to develop the love of the game specific to younger players
10:45 pm Pillars of Nutrition for Young People
11:30 pm Morning session completed
Afternoon Session:
12:30 pm Arrive and check-in
1:00 pm Introductions and Warmup
1:15 pm On-court drills, stories, and ways to develop the love of the game for high school players
3:45 pm Pillars of Nutrition for Elite Performance
4:30 pm Afternoon session completed
Peek into the garage of any professional baseball player and you’re likely to see a shiny sports car with a hefty price tag.
But not Daniel Norris’, as the 21-year-old Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect from Johnson City, Tennessee, doesn’t even have a garage. In fact, his house is void of many of the luxuries that come with a lucrative pro sports career and a $2 million signing bonus.
That’s because Norris lives in a van.
“To keep this simple, they think I’m pretty weird,” laughs Norris, who says the people running the Blue Jays organization were wary at first of his unorthodox living situation. “They find it rather interesting.”
But the more you know about Norris, the more apparent it becomes that it’s the alternative—four walls lined with electronics and shiny appliances—that would be “weird.”
Norris, who made his major-league debut last September and is competing for a starting job this spring, grew up roaming the racks of tires and helmets at his father’s mountain bike shop in Tennessee, a local haven for outdoorsmen that had been in the family for two generations. On the weekends, his family rode bikes and went camping; Norris picked up rock climbing from his sister. Even during the first two offseasons of his pro baseball career (Norris was drafted from high school in the second round in 2011), he worked part-time at a local outdoor retailer, where he was introduced to even more new ways to get outdoors, like kayaking and backpacking.
In an attempt to curb the mass rush for food change and reform, psychiatry has green lighted a public relations push to spread awareness about their new buzzword “orthorexia nervosa,” defined as “a pathological obsession for biologically pure and healthy nutrition.” In other words, experts are saying that our demand for nutrient-dense, healthful food is a mental disorder that must be treated.
CNN, Fast Company, Popular Science, and other top outlets have all began to trumpet the talking points on cue relatively recently:
“Orthorexia nervosa is a label designated to those who are concerned about eating healthy. Characterized by disordered eating fueled by a desire for “clean” or “healthy” foods, those diagnosed with the condition are overly pre-occupied with the nutritional makeup of what they eat”.
In short, if you turn your back on low quality, corporate food containing known cancer causing toxic additives and a rich history of dishonesty rooted in a continuous “profits over people” modus operandi, then you may suffer from a mental illness. The cherry on top is that if you have the pseudo-science labeled disorder of orthorexia nervosa, you will be prescribed known toxic, pharmaceutical drugs from some of the same conglomerate corporations that you are trying to avoid by eating healthy in the first place.
Orthorexia has not yet found its way into the latest edition of the psychiatric bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), yet is commonly being lumped in with other eating disorders. Stepping back and looking at the ones pushing this label on us shows highly questionable motives.
Psychiatry as a whole is deeply in bed with a pharmaceutical industry that makes the drugs to “treat” every one of these “disorders.” It is often these companies that are wielding influence behind the scenes to invent more mental health categories with their toxic products as the answer. This latest media push to popularize orthorexia as a mental disorder with a goal to marginalize or derail the food revolution appears to have been dead on arrival.
The psychiatric community has even deemed creativity to be a mental illness.
As the people continue to walk away from the broken medical and agricultural/food systems like any abusive relationship, the food makers are willing to do anything to maintain their waning control. Organic and non-GMO food markets have exploded in the last 5 years, so much so that any corporation wishing to not follow the trend risks financial hardship or ruin. In addition, pharmaceutical companies are feeling the strain as less people want their toxic medications and crippling side effects.
Perhaps some people to take it too far to the point of self-harm, but the problem we face with a toxic food system is a much larger threat. In closing, let’s be aware of some of the overall BS fed to us by the pharmaceutical bankrolled industry of psychiatry. When healthy eating and creativity are mental issues, something is amiss.
We are excited to announce The McCarthy Project will be holding its Elite Wing Camp in July at the Colin Powell Leadership Center in Minneapolis, MN.
The camp is designed to not only teach the fundamentals of the playing the position of wing, but to also teach the fundamentals of life. You will learn how to play from some of the most influential coaches in Minnesota basketball, and will gain important life skills including how to be a leader and a better teammate. In addition, you will receive instruction on how to train and fuel your body for elite level competition. The camp teaches life lessons through basketball.
The following areas will be covered
1. Classroom and film session based on point guard position
2. NBA-like combine testing
3. On-court technique coaching
4. Off court training and nutrition sessions
We are excited to announce The McCarthy Project will be holding its Elite Point Guard Camp in July at the Colin Powell Leadership Center in Minneapolis, MN.
The camp is designed to not only teach the fundamentals of the playing the position of point guard, but to also teach the fundamentals of life. You will learn how to play from some of the most influential coaches in Minnesota basketball, and will gain important life skills including how to be a leader and a better teammate. In addition, you will receive instruction on how to train and fuel your body for elite level competition. The camp teaches life lessons through basketball.
The following areas will be covered
1. Classroom and film session based on point guard position
2. NBA-like combine testing
3. On-court technique coaching
4. Off court training and nutrition sessions
Lindsey Berg and Stephen McCarthy Partner to Create a Unique, Creative Volleyball Experience
We are excited to announce we will be holding an All Skills and Setter Camp July 25th and 26th at Ralia Sports Center in Maple Grove, MN.
Stephen McCarthy and Lindsey Berg with some of the camp participants at 2013 Cuore Volleyball Camp.
Here is a quick overview:
The camp is designed to not only teach the fundamentals of volleyball, but to also teach the fundamentals of life. You will learn how to play from some of the volleyball greats, and will gain important life skills including how to be a leader and a better teammate. In addition, you will receive instruction on how to train and fuel your body for elite level competition. The camp teaches life lessons through volleyball and promises to be an experience you won’t soon forget. Lindsey Berg will be on court for all sessions, while Stephen McCarthy off-court.
The cost is $250 for All Skills, $300 for Setter. Attend both All Skills and Setter for $400. See below for camp schedule.
Ralia Sports Center, Home of Minnesota Select Volleyball Club
Location:
Ralia Sports Center
8686 Valley Forge Lane
Maple Grove, MN 55369
Camp is for girls aged 10-18. Smaller groups will be created within the camp selected by age, skill level and special request.
U of M Alum and 3-time USA Olympic Team Setter Lindsey Napela Berg from December 2013 camp in Minnesota.
Parents are welcome to attend all classroom and on-court sessions.
Camp Schedule:
Setter:
Saturday
12:00pm Arrive and check-in
12:30pm Introductions and Warmup
100pm to 330 pm On-court
330pm to 430pm Pillars of Nutrition for Elite Performance
Sunday
900am to 1000am Training for Recovery and Performance
1000am to 1230pm On-court
1230pm 100pm Final Thoughts by Coaches
All Skills #1:
Saturday
800am Arrive and check-in
830am Introductions and Warmup
900am to 1130am On-court
1130am to 1230pm Pillars of Nutrition for Elite Performance
Sunday
1200pm to 1pm Training for Recovery and Performance
1pm to 330pm On-court
330pm 400pm Final Thoughts by Coaches
All Skills #2:
Saturday
4:00pm Arrive and check-in
4:30pm Introductions and Warmup
500pm to 730 pm On-court
730pm to 830pm Pillars of Nutrition for Elite Performance
Sunday
400pm to 5pm Training for Recovery and Performance
5pm to 730pm On-court
730pm to 800pm Final Thoughts by Coaches
This post was on the Infowars Newsletter.. While it was meant for obesity.. The same foods items decrease performance. Check out the list.
Are your ‘healthy’ food choices actually making you fat and going against your entire diet and exercise regimen? Chances are, you may unknowingly be consuming a number of food items that should in fact be on your ‘food hazard’ list.
Looking at the research and the opinions of top nutrition experts, here are the 5 foods that are making people fat (and no one probably even knows they’re eating them):
1. Foods with the Popular Plastic Chemical BPA
While not technically a ‘food’, you are most likely taking in the plastic chemical known as bisphenol-A as if it were a staple food in your diet. This chemical, found in numerous items which I will list for you, disrupts what’s known as your body’s endocrine system — which encompasses key biological systems like your pineal gland and reproductive glands.
Numerous studies have connected BPA exposure with everything from obesity to cancer. One study out of NYU School of Medicine analyzed 2,938 young people, and found that the most obese individuals also had the highest concentrations of BPA in their urine. Only 10% of the obese children actually had lower BPA levels.
BPA can be found in:
Plastic water bottles
The inner lining of canned foods
Paper money
Receipts that you touch
2. The New ‘Secret’ High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Watch out for deceptive corporate food labeling tactics. When you’re not buying from a trustworthy company that has certified organic and high quality ingredients, you always run the risk of consuming what I would call ‘food land mines.’
This is the case with the infamous high-fructose corn syrup, which was recently ‘renamed’ and ‘rebranded’ by mega food corporations and corn organizations to trick you into eating it again.
According to the Corn Refiners Association (CRA), the term ‘fructose’ is now being used to denote a product that was previously known as HFCS-90 (the original high-fructose corn syrup). Meaning it is 90 percent pure fructose. Compare this to what is termed ‘regular’ HFCS, which contains either 42 or 55 percent fructose, and you will know why they are so eager to keep you in the dark.
3. Flavor Enhancers
A major player when eating out, and notorious for being extremely pervasive at Chinese food restaurants, flavor enhancers like MSG can add some serious salty flavor to your dish. They will also add detrimental visceral (stomach) fat onto your body with ease, and trigger some concerning reactions in your brain.
A study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill showed MSG led to animal obesity but also applied to human subjects.
“We found that prevalence of overweight was significantly higher in MSG users than in non-users,” said Ka He, MD, assistant professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the UNC School of Public Health. “We saw this risk even when we controlled for physical activity, total calorie intake and other possible explanations for the difference in body mass. The positive associations between MSG intake and overweight were consistent with data from animal studies.”
4. Antibiotics in Your Meat and Dairy
Have you seen some of the latest whistleblower footage exposing the extremely disturbing practices deep inside some of the largest factory farm compounds? Topping the list of how these animals are treated so poorly is the mega dosing of antibiotics, which are given to many animals no matter what.
From the cows that provide milk or meat, to the chickens that end up on your dinner table — you are ultimately consuming these antibiotics in your diet. As a result, your ‘good bacteria’ (probiotic) bacteria is suffering. When your gut bacteria balance gets out of whack, such as when the bad bacteria outweighs the good, sickness and obesity occurs.
5. Your Water
Are you drinking tap water? How about tap water in a major US city? You’re more than likely drinking in a host of heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, and even viruses. Antibiotics residue is likely being consumed with each gulp, and if you’re drinking tap water from a plastic container, then you are also exposing yourself to BPA (item #1).
Drinking tap water may not necessarily be the cause of one’s weight gain, but it certainly isn’t helping like it should be.
Drop the tap water and opt for a reverse osmosis water filtration system or purified water that has gone through that process. As always, remember that R/O filters also remove some necessary minerals from the water so it’s important to add a small amount of Himalayan sea salt or apple cider vinegar to regain them. If available, natural spring water that has been tested for purity is even better.
Don’t let these hidden food land mines hinder your fat loss journey. Instead, eliminate and substitute them for powerful weight loss foods.
Grassroots Hoops Club, The McCarthy Project and MinnesotaHoopersStandUp will hold its annual 2015 Under the Radar Showcase of the top prospects from in coming high school freshman through senior classes. The showcase for the boys event will be held on August 1st, 2015 at the Leonard Center on the campus of Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.
Under The Radar Showcase will consist of 20-25 of the top players playing in a “battle within the class” game within each class. 8 teams, 4 games, one court.
All Under the Radar teams will have a top 5 performers list selected, as well as, game MVP’s will be announced after the games. Games will be recorded for highlights and posted online. Each participant will be expected to bring a jersey from their high school or summer team of theirs, we ask that each athlete arrive approximately 1 hour before your scheduled game time with exception of the 2018 class. The following is a list of last years players from each class and corresponding highlight tape.
Dates and Location: August 1st, 2015 at Leonard Center on the campus of Macalester College in St. Paul, MN. Doors open at 3pm. Admisson: $10 Adults/Students $8
Jarvis Johnson, 6’1″ PG, Pulley’s EYBL, DeLaSalle
Jalen Mobley 6’1 PG, D1 Minnesota, St. Paul Johnson
JT Gibson 6’3 PG, Net Gain, Champlin Park
Sam Neumann 6’6 F, Pulley’s EYBL, Cretin Derham Hall
Josh Collins 6’5 SF, Pulley’s EYBL, DeLaSalle
Sacar Amin, 6’4 SG, Pulley’s EYBL, DeLaSalle
Sid Tomes 6’3 G, Net Gain, East Ridge
Jacoby Ford 6’0 PG, E1T1, Minneapolis Henry
Kyle McKinley 6’10 Net Gain, Stillwater
Mike Gutierrez 6’1 G, St.Croix Prep
Justin Dahl, 6’11 C, Hoopmasters, Holy Family
Jonathan Conyers 6’9 PF, Heat, Fridley
Abdulsalan Osman 6’7″ C, St. Paul Academy
Team Hype
Donnell Gresham 6’1 PG, Wisconsin United, Cretin Derham Hall
Marshawn Wilson 6’3 G, Wisconsin United, Hill Murray
Grantham Gillard 6’4 SG, D1 Minnesota, Eden Prairie
Jeremy Johnson 6’3 G Wisconsin United, Champlin Park
Trenton McCarthy 6’0 PG, Grassroots, Minnehaha Academy
Randy Matthews 6’8 F E1T1, Minneapolis North
Gach Gach, 6’5 SF, Cyclones, Austin
Isaiah Sims 6’2 PG, Prior Lake
Connor Gamble 5’11” SG, Cyclones, Stillwater
Kyle Sorenson, 6’6 C, Lacrosse, Caledonia
Jordan Johnson, 6’1″ G, Iowa Elite, Roosevelt (IA)
Mario Manuel, 6’7″ PF, Iowa Elite, Roosevelt (IA)
2016 Class
Team Elite
Amar Miller 5’10 PG, Pulley’s 16’s EYBL, Hopkins
Tyler Johnson 6’2 G, D1 Minnesota, Minneapolis North
Jamil Jackson 6’5 SG / SF Pulley’s 16’s EYBL, Minneapolis North
Brock Bertram 6’11 C Pulley’s EYBL, Apple Valley
Tyler Peterson 6’2 G, Pulley 16s EYBL, Centennial
Colton Lampart 6’4 SF, Lacrosse Boys and Girls Club, Caledonia
Jubie Alade 6’3 G, Fury, Armstrong
Austin Slater 6’8 F, Net Gain, Wayzata
Jalen Brown 6’3 SG, Pulley’s 16’s EYBL, Cretin Derham Hall
Ade Lamir 6’4 G, Pulley, St. Croix Lutheran
Chris Perry, 6’3′ SF, Net Gain, Cretin
Team Hype
Nikko Reed, 6’9″ PF, Net Gain, Maple Grove
Patrick Dembley 6’1 PG, Net Gain, Minneapolis North
Langdon Kirkwood 6’3 G, Pulley 16s EYBL, Brooklyn Center
Sam Baker 6’2 G, Pulley, Benilde St Margaret
Melvin Newbern 6’4 SG, Net Gain, Armstrong
Steffon Mitchell 6’7 SF, Fury, Shakopee
Dexter Dillard 6’2 G, Grassroots, Fond du Lac
Damario Armstrong 6’1 G, D1 Minnesota, Maranatha Academy
Jarrett Baptiste 6’2 G, Phenom, Columbia Heights
Teathloach Pal, 6’7 F, Heat, Fridley
Trenton Krueger 6’5 F, Pulley’s 16’s EYBL, St. Croix Lutheran
True Thompson, 6’3″ G, Heat, Armstrong
2017 Class
Team Elite
Brad Davidson 6’2 PG, Pulley 16s EYBL, Maple Grove
Gary Trent Jr 6’4 SG, Pulley 16s EYBL, Apple Valley
McKinley Wright 5’10 PG, Real Athletics, Champlin Park
Tywhon Pickford 6’1 G, Real Athletics, Maple Grove
Alex Falcon 6’4 SF, Real Athletics, Centennial
Theo John 6’8 F, Pulley 16s EYBL, Champlin Park
Dedoch Chan 6’4 F, Fury, Albertville
Darryl Mayfield 6’2 SG, Real Athletics, Hopkins
Jericho Sims 6’5″ SF, Cristo Rey
Trae Berhow 6’4 SF, MN Lockdown 16’s, Watertown
Team Hype
Jordan Horn 6’1 G, Pulley 16s, Tartan
Simeon Davis 6’4 G, Wisconsin United, Minnehaha Academy
DJ Hunter 6’3 SG, Pulley, Minneapolis North
Isaac Johnson 6’3 SG, Pulley, Minneapolis North
Joevon Walker 6’5 SF, Wisconsin United, Minnehaha Academy
Emanuel Humphrey 6’4 F, MN Lockdown 16’s, Tartan
Jerimah Coddon 6’1 G, Woodbury
Kingston Myles 6’2 G, MN Lockdown 16’s, Tartan
Joe Haggard, 6’6″ F, Stillwater
Gonnar Mar, 6’6 F, DeLaSalle
Dom Marshall, 6’3″ F, Iowa Elite, Hoover (IA)
2018 Class
Team Elite
Anders Nelson 5’10 PG, D1 Minnesota, Edina
Anthony Davis 6’2 SG, MN Lockdown, Hopkins
Race Thomson 6’4 F, D1 Minnesota, Armstrong
Sage Booker 6’0 G, 43 Hoops, DeLaSalle
Delawrence Aaron 6’2 F, 43 Hoops, Hopkins
Shae Mitchell, 6’4″ F, Future Stars, Lakeville South
Odell Wilson 6’5 F, Future Stars, Minneapolis North
Markel Aune 5’10 PG, Future Stars, Bloomington Kennedy
Kire Mayfield, 5’8″ PG, 43 Hoops, St. Louis Park/Hopkins
Sam Ingoli, 6’3″ F, Iowa Elite, Dowling (IA)
Team Hype
Goodnews Kpegeol 6’2 G, Rice Street, North St.Paul
Gary Smith 6’3 SF, Heat, St. Agnes
Charlie Dennis 6’2 F, Rice Street, Cretin Derham Hall
Tayler Johnson 5’11 G, El-Amin Basketball Academy, Minneapolis North
Daniel Oturu 6’5 F, Pulley, Cretin Derham Hall
Owen King 5’10 PG, Wisconsin Playmakers, Caledonia
Demillon Randle 6’0 G, Rice Street, Cretin Derham Hall
John Waggoner, 6’4″ F, Iowa Elite, Dowling (IA)
Location:
To be determined, last years event was at the Leonard Center at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN.
For media inquires contact:
Stephen McCarthy
The McCarthy Project
612-741-0982 www.themccarthyproject.com
December 29, 2014, St. Paul, MN, Ques Promotions present the Grassroots Hoops Club All-Star Alumni Event. Attending will be the top past and present talent in Minnesota. The event will be held June 21st. Event flyer, click here.
The Alumni event will be held at Concordia University in St. Paul, MN and doors will open at 12pm. The event includes a dunk contest, 3 point shootout, and All-star game.
Past players include:
Jordair Jett, Atlantic 10 Player of Year, University of St. Louis
TDUBB, Number One Dunker in the World
Troy Bell, NBA 1st Round Draft Choice Memphis, Boston College
Trevor Mbakwe, European Pro, University of Minnesota
Rodney Williams, NBA Pro, University of Minnesota
Moe Hargow, European Pro, University of Minnesota
The following list of local celebrities have attended:
Trent Tucker, NBA pro and University of Minnesota
Barry Wohler, University of Minnesota
Zeb Howell, University of Minnesota
Randy Carter, University of Minnesota
Talance Sawyer. NFL Pro
Dan Speak, DJ.
Grassroots Hoops Club and The McCarthy Project will hold its inaugural Under the Radar: JUCO Jamboree. This two-day event will be April 11th-12th. Athletes who will be participating include prospects with college eligibility remaining, as well as, high school athletes from the following classes 2014, 2015, and 2016.
The event will be held at the Davis Community Center in Golden Valley, MN. 5430 Glenwood Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55422, Each day will start at 9am.
Updated Information:
Note: We had to make a adjustment in location for Sunday’s session..
Saturday Session #1 12pm-3pm Davis Community Center
Saturday Session #2 5pm-8pm Davis Community Center
Sunday Session #3 8am-1pm Eisenhower Community Center Hopkins, MN
After morning registration, NBA like Combine and station drills, and the mandatory video, there will be a lunch break followed by team practice. Games will start at 1pm with two 18-minute halves running clock. All players will receive equal playing time with each player receiving 3 rounds of games for maximum exposure, which will allow for a real evaluation to be done. We then put together an event recap with information on every athlete in attendance. The information will be made available to over 100 coaches at every level of college from NAIA, Div I, II, III and Junior Colleges on regional and national basis, as well as, the college coaches who are in attendance. For coaches who would like to register, (See section below For Coaches Only)
The cost is $35.00 per participant. When you register, as well as, start your recruiting profile.
Grassroots Alumni:
Santino Clay San Jacinto/ South Dakota
Stavon Williams San Jacinto/ Utah State
Zac Lofton San Jacinto/ Minnesota
Joe Bright Howard JC/ Stephen F Austin
Carlos Emory Howard JC/ Oregon
Taylor Stafford Eastern Arizona/ Evansville
Lee Stevens San Jacinto/ Augustana College
Dre Gilbert San Jacinto/ Kansas State
Dejuan Flowers San Jacinto/ North Dakota State
James Eayrs North Dakota School of Science/ Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Sammy Ricks North Dakota School of Science/ Concordia Saint Paul
Aba Kapaka North Dakota School of Science/ Grambling State
Calvin Godfrey Howard JC/ Memphis
Alonzo Traylor Iowa Western/ North Dakota
Steven Baker SE Iowa/ Wisconsin-Green Bay
Lou Cox Kirkwood/ Presentation University
AJ Wilson NE Colorado/ Murray State
Sly Walker North Dakota School of Science/ Valley City
Jerry Pratt Hibbing/ Rockford University
Thomas Ford Fergus Falls/ Waldorf
Robin Jackson San Diego JC/ Sioux Falls
Dre Ellis Waldorf JC/ Southwest State
Torio Williams Highland JC/ Mankato State
For Coaches Only:
College Coaches Packets are $75 per coach. Payment methods are cash or credit card – All credit card payments must be received by April 6th. Please contact Stephen McCarthy at 612-741-0982 for credit card payment details. WE WILL NOT ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS AT THE DOOR. ALL PAYMENTS AT THE DOOR MUST BE CASH. Note: Entry for 1st coach from a school is the coaches packet. Additional coaches from the same school can purchase a day pass for $25 for each day each additional coach attends.
For media inquires contact:
Stephen McCarthy
The McCarthy Project
612-741-0982 www.themccarthyproject.com
The world of basketball has become enamored with physical talent and spectacular plays, but the question remains how do we know where we are at as athletes or need to be in order to compete at our absolute best.
The answer… “The Combine”
A May 2014 post on Draft Express confirms this simple truth, “Trying to pinpoint a player’s athleticism based on their combine testing is akin to trying to get a feel for their basketball IQ by watching them play one-on-zero –it simply doesn’t make all that much sense. It does help us get a very general idea of where a player is at in terms of physical conditioning and strength, which often speaks to their work ethic, but rarely sheds much light on what it really aims to portray.“
The Go Fast, Go Hard Combine powered by Game Face Training will give you the feedback on where you stand against other players, in and out of your age group, and where you need to improve.
Stephen McCarthy with 2014 attendees
The following tests will be administered and results posted: ¾ Court Sprint, Lane Agility, Lane Shuffle, Standing Vertical Jump, and Maximum Vertical Jump. Lastly, the Go Fast, Go Hard Combine staff will select top 24 players to play in a Top 24 game.
Secondly, we will have two breakout sessions for parents and participants titled, “Becoming A Leader on the Court” and “Pillars of Nutrition and Recovery” These 1 hour breakout sessions times will be announced the morning of the event.
Dates and Location: August 29 and 30th Link to flyer
Cost: $110.00
What is included:
Measurements
Combine Testing and Shot Testing
Ball Skill Drills
Highlight Session
Top 24 game, if selected
Go Fast, Go Hard T-Shirt
Walk ups welcome. The cost will be $135.00
For more information, contact:
Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project
612-741-0982
www.themccarthyproject.com
By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project, December 23rd, 2014
Chewing Gum
Chewing gum is darn near an American icon, on par with baseball. We all remember the fascination and glory of chewing gum when we were young. So I get it.. Oh, one other thing. I do realize the benefit of having nice, cool breath on top of the joy while chewing gum. Like all good things, they sometimes have to come to an end, not because they are wrong, but the situation has been distorted in some way that it makes the simple act not good for our lives.
The deal changer for chewing gum and many other products (soft drinks, frozen foods, diet foods, vitamins and in some medicines.. Sorry) is aspartame. Here is a list of potential side effects: seizures, depression, brain damage, memory loss, migraine headaches, numbness, and blindness.
You say, wow, that is quite a list. Yes, it is.. and I do not expect you to believe on my word only.. Do the research for yourself.. Find out the truth.. I am firmly convinced that elite performance is in your hands, not always finding ways to make your body run better, but simply finding the ways that it is being suppressed and cut the cord from the seemingly innocent, suppressive activities.
If I told you how to make decisions come faster and clearer, increase your awareness of your surroundings, or how to eliminate moodiness or depression from your life, are in a pill, I am confident you would take that pill for sure.
So why won’t you stop chewing gum, just because you like the taste or it freshens your breath. Unfortunately, you may have to find a different item to chew or freshen your breath to increase your performance.
Or this one..all my friends chew gum and they don’t have any of these side effects. Well, how influential of leader are you or are you willing to walk the road by yourself until they do see the wisdom.
Again as it should, success and failure are in your hands.
For the research completed during the 1970’s, 1980’s and 90’s, click apartame and msg.
Two research papers, each published separately, suggest that concerns over levels of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks, and their effects on young people who drink them, are mounting.
Energy drinks are beverages that claim to “make you more alert and give you energy.” Most have ingredients like caffeine, sugar, taurine, vitamins and herbs. They can be found anywhere you buy beverages beside the pop, juices and sports drinks.
The amount of caffeine in energy drinks is more than what is recommended for children. Most government public health agencies say that children under 12 years of age should have less than 85 mg of caffeine per day depending on their age. This means that one energy drink can easily put children over their caffeine limits.
Energy Drinks have previously been found to cause irreversible damage to tooth enamel and detrimentally affect the contraction of the heart. A study published in the issue of General Dentistry, the peer-reviewed clinical journal of the Academy of General Dentistry, found that an alarming increase in the consumption of sports and energy drinks, especially among adolescents, is causing irreversible damage to teeth–specifically, the high acidity levels in the drinks erode tooth enamel, the glossy outer layer of the tooth.
The FDA says they are powerless to change formulation of energy drinks. “We have no guidance or regulations that govern the formulation of energy drinks,” said FDA spokeswoman Susan Cruzan. The agency does not have the authority to do that.Cruzan said. “Under current law, the manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that its products are safe and such products do not require FDA premarket review or approval.” Full article
Every player in the nation is looking for the set of basketball speed drills that will push them to the next level. The best drill is consistently doing the drills, not the speed drills themselves. Most people will just blow off this article or say it can’t be that easy. Simply, choose the move you want to develop, select the proper speed drills for that move, do them consistently each week for a long period and you will become faster.
To prove my point, here is a quote from Yuri Verkoshansky, an industry icon in the area of developing athletes:
“Systemization of the training stimuli. The work load should be considered as a complete unit, in which great care has been taken over the chronological order of the training stimuli. This implies continuity, consistency, and interdependence of the effects of the training stimuli on the athlete’s organism.”
While he is speaking to the overall training load of an athlete and what is needed to complete the goal, we can apply the same concepts to developing a set of basketball speed drills. Here are the steps to take your game to the next level:
Define what you want to accomplish and break it down into pieces.
Take your time and choose drills that will develop those particular pieces or actions.
Make sure all the drills work together to create the desired outcome.
Consistently work on those drills until they are mastered.
Put the pieces together and test your results.
The path mentioned may seem over simplistic. Just because your favorite player does a certain drill, it does not mean that it will make you faster than everybody else. Break down your crossover or turnaround jumper into smaller pieces. Locate drills that work on those areas. Consistently and systematically work on each component, and you will accomplish your goal in due time.
When looking for an off-ice hockey training program, you will not have a shortage of choices. You will find companies selling new gadgets promising speed development. Physio-ball training for hockey players variation 1001. Ab-rollers that are the key to a rock hard core. If you step into the college weight rooms around the US, you may see one or two of these pieces. One difference.. They are all supplementary methods, not the primary focus of the training. Be careful not to get sidetracked with really technical drills or a cool new piece of equipment. More times than not, you can accomplish the same result with equipment you already own.
Here are 5 pillars of an off-ice hockey training program that will produce results.
Strength Training- Make sure you are in the weight room working with loads and other forms of resistance. Too many programs only include the physio-ball and use trendy terms like “strengthening your core.” There is no substitute lifting a load and the stresses it causes. Not to say that bodyweight and ball exercises are not useful, but they should not be the primary method used during the workout.
Speed Development- Science has proven that there is a correlation between running speed and skating speed. A program that works on your ability to move fast on dry land will only make you a faster player on the ice. Watch for getting too technical. Off-ice you are developing athleticism, not a skating stride.
Coordination Development– The Russians strength coaches always talk about the athlete’s ability to make connections within the human body. If you make these connections quicker or more efficiently, you will have an advantage over the competition. A program must include a way to challenge your ability to understand where you are in space and how to move in the most efficient way possible. One way would be neural confusion drills.
Cardio-This is one of the most common components of off-ice programs. We all hear about running the hill behind the rink and sprinting up and down the bleachers 20 times. A different angle would be for the program to include metabolic running. This type of conditioning is more closely aligned with how hockey is actually played. Short 30-40 sec sprints with rest in between.
Joint Flexibility- Every athlete could benefit from their joints being more mobile. While there has been considerable debate on the value of stretching, for and against. I am of the belief that strong, flexible, bolted on limbs are able to produce more consistent results over the long time than tight, inflexible joints.
Off-Ice Hockey Specific Drills- Look for programs that challenge your skills and make them better. The only ditch you can fall in would be doing too many things at one time, like stick handling with one hand, juggling a ball in the other hand, hoping on one foot and kicking a soccer ball with the opposite foot. Remember, it is one thing to develop your ability to multitask and another to be in the circus.
A program that is well-balanced and properly thought out will develop all different areas of your game, not just make you strong. Lastly, if your program includes the six mentioned areas of training and stay away from the quick-fix gimmicks, you will be on the road to success.
As Seen on Stack.com: By Stephen McCarthy, The McCarthy Project
One the biggest challenges in dryland workouts for swimmers is the combination of facilities, the sheer number of athletes and the amount of time to complete the workouts. Weight rooms are impossible for 30-40 athletes to get in a good workout in 40-45 minutes or less. Secondly, more times than not, you are on the pool deck or in a hallway outside of the pool anyways. One solution is metabolic running. This type of training allows for a great number of athletes to workout at the same time without any equipment. More importantly, we observed a 10-15% improvement in our times in the pool after 4 weeks of implementing the metabolic swim team workouts.
Not only does metabolic running develop a swimmers overall conditioning, it will develop swimmer’s overall athletic ability. The metabolic training will challenge their overall speed of movements, coordination, as well as, their conditioning. The workouts are as follows; a set of 10 exercises with a 10-15 sec rest period between each exercise. Repeat 10 times and then allow a 3 min rest.
The program is only limited by the coach’s creativity. Program the sets longer (3-5 min-500 free lengths) or shorter (20-30 sec, 50 free lengths) based on your team needs. You can make them as hard and as easy as you see fit. You can add complex movements or simply, skip for 50 meters.
Here are a couple sets we have used with our swimmers:
Set 1: 10 pushups, Sprint , Carioca , Jog, Streamline jumps, Jog, Power Skips, Shuffle, Backpedal, and 5 sit-ups
Rest 3 minutes
Set 2: Jog 10 sec, 5 pushups, Backpedal, Sprint, Zigzag Run, High Knees Backwards, Carioca, Shuffle, Sprint
Rest 3 minutes and repeat for 1-2 additional sets
By the end of this 20-25 minute workout, they will be pushed to their limits. Add a 15-20 cool down flexibility program and you will see performance gains in the pool almost immediately.
The physio or iso ball or the Swiss ball has made inroads into almost every strength training program in every sport. While the concept of the ball training has the benefit of increased balance, improved core strength at a lower intensity. For the untrained person just starting, these are all true. For the more seasoned athlete, the benefits are gained in 2-3 weeks of training, learned and do not produce a higher level of performance.
Check out this post by Paul Rogers, a former Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Australian National Sprint Cycling Team. For his team, he did not see any benefits of the Swiss ball during the time his team used the ball training method.
So what does this mean, If you are looking to improve your performance on the bike, simply add other training methods to supplement the swiss ball. Do not make it the only method of training used during off-bike workouts over a long period of time.
Some examples of other training methods include:
Dumbbell training on two feet
Dumbbell training on one foot
Bodyweight training
Olympic lifts
Realize that when looking to increase your performance, you must increase the stress you are placing on the body. The ball does not provide enough stress to gain the benefits you desire. Therefore, supplement your training with the mentioned methods and you will see better numbers from your investment.
What is a True Leader? Is it the impulsive young person who is always talking and running out ahead of everybody and the team unknowingly just follows to failure? Just the meat head jock who is the coolest? The girl who all the guys like, is good looking, smart and athletic? No, no and no.
A leader is one who has the courage to stand on their own convictions, to walk the road not walked by everyone else, to risk, as well as, to assist others who do not see the picture, to encourage, be willing to die for the cause that they seek. And in the end, when you find one of these leaders, follow them, they will take you home.
-Stephen McCarthy
On the courage to walk out your convictions:
Ralph Waldo Emerson
What I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think. This rule, equally arduous in actual and in intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
On following everyone else and the same path:
Now we are told the individual’s highest aspiration or vision must be service to the group. The whole matter of “the greatest life” is presumed to be settled. It’s no longer worth re-thinking. This, of course, is propaganda. In many ways, from many angles, it’s taught and implied in our schools. Children learn to parrot the appropriate phrases. They utter them proudly.
Here is a press conference by Sally Fallon Morel of the Weston A Price Foundation talking about dietary intake guidelines and their truthfulness. Athletes should take particular notice the differences to what you eat vs what Sally is presenting.
I received this response from the post” The Necessary Art of Persuasion” by one of the best youth coaches, Colby Fuller. He is THE coach who goes the extra mile, does the right thing, while not expecting or receiving the credit for the constant good work. He is truly committed to youth sports and has proven this in motive and action.
The following commentary has years of playing and coaching wisdom, as well as, a great approach to teaching young athletes to think creatively for themselves. Enjoy.
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Dear Stephen,
I find this one interesting. I don’t think for a moment that I’m smarter than a Harvard guy but I’ve tried and failed many times with trying to maintain control of the team but to introduce accountability in small doses. What I’ve found that works the best is flat out telling the team that have free reign to play how they think the game should be played. That usually meant pass as little as possible and shoot as much as possible. When trying this method we usually find ourselves behind on the scoreboard. At halftime or earlier if I just can’t stomach it anymore, I call a timeout and say we’ve tried it your way, it’s not working. Now try it mine. If we are good enough to get back in it and win, we talk about how there are times for creativity on the court and times for discipline. As you know I have no problem letting a player shoot, if they are open. So in our post game we talk about by playing within the system we set our opponent up for ad libbing later. I feel that this method has been the most successful in allowing them to think it is their decision to change the style and pace of the game. Small amounts of freedom has led to better choices on the court with the reward being more wins, better team play and now in most cases, the offense runs without a play being called. They just do it, make their own adjustments and have been way more successful. I preached this so many times, “what is the best option?” that they now are constantly moving without the ball and moving the ball at the same time. So in a nut shell,we’ve tricked them into thinking that they are making the choice. But by playing within the system, they’ve learned to adapt to a more free style of play.
Wednesday, February 06, 2013 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
(NaturalNews) Professional and elite amateur athletes score higher on certain tests of cognitive function than university students, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Montreal and supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
“Professional athletes as a group have extraordinary skills for rapidly learning unpredictable, complex dynamic visual scenes,” study author Jocelyn Faubert said. “The pros are much superior than scholars in our highly complex mental task.
“In other words, they are smarter [at] learning how to interpret the real world in action.”
The performance of 33 non-athlete university students on a cognitive test was compared with that of 102 professional soccer, hockey and rugby players from the English Premier League, the NHL and France’s Top 14, plus 173 elite amateur athletes from the NCAA American university sports program and a European Olympic training center. Participants performed a test known as 3D-MOT, in which they viewed a simulation of several objects moving through a three-dimensional space, then were asked to describe what they had seen. The movements of the simulated objects were randomly generated by a computer in order to prevent there from being any similarity with a real-world sport that could give the athletes unfair advantage.
The test was designed to evaluate participants’ visual perception and cognitive abilities in relation to complex scenes. Skills involved in such a task include the ability to distribute the tension between numerous moving targets and distracting items, to view a large field of vision, to perceive depth, and to follow rapidly moving objects. Each participant completed the test 15 times.
Although all participants improve at the task over the course of the 15 tests, the professional athletes were significantly better at tracking fast-moving objects than members of the other two groups. Likewise, the performance of amateur athletes exceeded that of non-athlete students.
“They appear to be able to hyper-focus for short periods of time resulting in extraordinary learning functions,” Faubert said.
by Dr. Edward Group | Infowars.com | December 1, 2014
Wheat is typically avoided these days because of its gluten content. Many people are going gluten free, not always for the right reasons, believing the protein to be one of the most disastrous things to plague humanity. While gluten is certainly difficult to digest and can lead to inflammation, there is another component to wheat that proves toxic. Conventional wheat is commonly consumed in its refined form, mostly from processed foods, and these foods contain a number of toxins.
The Hidden Issue Facing Wheat Sensitivity
Roundup, a glyphosate herbicide manufactured by Monsanto, is commonly applied to wheat prior to harvest. It is now used as not only an herbicide, but a desiccating agent, helping to reduce moisture on crops. Glyphosate has already been linked to enzyme inhibition in animals, and some research shows that it may disrupt the endocrine system. Many people who have wheat sensitivity may actually not be reacting to the gluten. Instead, their body is reacting to the minute chemicals that coat the crop.
What You Can Do
If you wish to continue consuming wheat products, it is always best to choose organic, unhybridized Einkorn wheat. This type of wheat is lower in gluten; however, if you do have a sensitivity to gluten or are downright allergic, you must avoid wheat. Raw vegetation should make the majority of your diet, anyway, letting grains make up a small portion of your daily intake. Be aware that other products, like sugar, often contain Roundup. It is always best to purchase food organic, whenever possible, in order to avoid these toxins.
Andrew Smyth, MMedSc*, Mahshid Dehghan, PhD*, Martin O’Donnell, PhD, Craig Anderson, MD, Koon Teo, MD, Peggy Gao, MSc, Peter Sleight, DM, Gilles Dagenais, MD, Jeffrey L. Probstfield, MD, Andrew Mente, PhD and Salim Yusuf, DPhil
