Modeling Great Sportsmanship: Insights and Pledges

Episode 16

Join us on The Healthy Youth Sports Podcast for an enlightening conversation with Karin Pfeiffer, PhD, FACSM, Director of the Michigan State University Institute for the Study of Youth Sports and NYSHSI Leadership Board member. In this episode, we delve into the current events of women’s college basketball and celebrate the stardom of today’s top athletes.

We explore how these athletes’ success is built on strong foundations laid by coaches, parents, caregivers, and family, emphasizing the importance of mental approach and athletic development. Dr. Pfeiffer introduces the three NYSHSI pledges: The ATHLETE PLEDGE, PARENT PLEDGE, and YOUTH SPORTS ORGANIZATION PLEDGE, discussing their unique roles in developing young athletes.

We also address the critical responsibility of youth sports organizations to provide safe environments for athletes to grow and enjoy their sport. Whether you’re a parent, coach, or sports administrator, this episode offers valuable insights into fostering positive sports behavior and creating supportive environments for young athletes. Don’t miss this important discussion on modeling great sportsmanship!

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GSSI Pre-Conference

The Physiology of Hydration: More Than Water Alone

This session explores the physiology of hydration through an integrated lens—examining how carbohydrate, sodium, flavor, and fluid interact to influence intake, absorption, retention, and performance. We’ll review current research on fluid balance, osmotic drivers, and palatability, highlighting mechanisms that underpin voluntary intake and thermoregulation. Attendees will gain insight into individualized strategies, including sweat profiling and timing approaches, to optimize euhydration and mitigate performance decrements associated with >2% body-mass loss. Practical applications will be linked to laboratory- and field-based research, ensuring translation from bench to field. This pre-conference equips you with evidence-based tools to support athlete hydration across diverse environments and sporting contexts. 

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  • Session 1: Sweating the detail: New insights on hydration considerations for athlete performance
    • Lewis James, PhD, Associate Professor in Human Nutrition in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University
  • Session 2: Functional ingredients in fluid replacement beverages for athletes
    • Lindsay Baker, PhD, Director at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
  • Session 3: The hydration toolkit: Practical approaches to athlete support
    • Floris Wardenaar, PhD, Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University