2023-11-16 07:30:16
We are what we eat. This is why Básquet Girona has always tried to ensure that its players have a healthy diet, which helps them to perform and improve in matches. Since last season, the club has an agreement with Sanum Healty Housethe Borja García health center, Candidate Benítez i Sergi Mateo, to provide breakfast and lunch to the first team staff every day. Meals on trips are also included.
The physical trainer of Basketball Girona, Arnau Sacot, works together with one of Sanum’s nutritionists to plan the players’ diets. Sacot explains that “I am in direct contact with Sanum and I give them the schedule for the week with the match day”. “We agree on the food together, depending on the overload we want”, he adds. In this sense, the physical trainer insists that “the players must have enough energy” and, for this reason, “they must follow a balanced diet”: “They eat all kinds of vegetables, carbohydrates… No we want them to limit themselves to only pasta or rice, but to try other types of cereals, salads, vegetable creams, etc.».
Every working day in Fontajau, the club facilitates the team of Salva Camps breakfast and lunch. “For breakfast they usually have sandwiches with different types of bread, vegetables, sausages… and natural juices. Then they do their training routines and when they finish they have a bag ready with their lunch. They decide whether to eat it at the pavilion or at home,” says Sacot. The physical trainer designs the menus with the Sanum nutritionist and passes a form to the players, with option A or B, so they can choose the dishes they want. “Food is very important, but it should not be restricted. The player must feel comfortable and like the food. They have some margins and decide what they like best”, he explains.
Sacot comments that “when the week starts we provide them with a more varied diet with all kinds of vegetables and as the match approaches we load the meals with more pure carbohydrates so that they have enough energy”.
Girona does He has worked at the club for 10 seasonsthe last five of which in the first team -since LEB Plata. “I started by helping the base teams. I have seen the entire growth process of the Basketball Girona and it’s very cool. I’m from Girona and manage to return to the ACB… I was the child who saw the disappearance of theAkasvayu. Fortunately, we continued to have elite basketball with theUnibut being able to have the women’s and the men’s at the first level is very special”, he says.
The technical secretary of the base and responsible for Performance, Cheers Scotland, was his “teacher and mentor”. “When I started studying INEF, one of my goals was to be a physical trainer of a professional team, but I never imagined that I would become the physical trainer of a professional team and that it would be my home team. All this is amazing, I feel very comfortable with the philosophy of the club. My main goal is to feel that I can help the player and make him grow”, he points out.
“Pau Sala was the first from the base to arrive at the ACB and there are sure to be more”
From his experience, Sacot maintains that “food has always been very important for the club”: “A LEB Plata we were already trying to have control of the diets and that two of the meals of the day were provided by the club. Apart from the food, we also give them some nutritional education». “They are heterogeneous players in terms of weights, but the caloric needs are quite similar. We try to adjust it. We adapt if there are foods they don’t like or can’t eat, or if they follow specific diets without gluten, lactose…», he says.
And he reasons about nutrition: “It’s not so much about the origin, but about the mentality of the player. The experiences they have had, the education… It depends on the growth processes of each one, it is very individualized. In general, everyone has an interest in improving. Many arrive and only eat rice and pasta because that is what has always been done. They are super grateful that we give them more resources.”
Sacot insists that “we believe in nutrition from the point of view of helping the player, not from an imposition”: “I constantly hold meetings with the players and we talk about the aspects to improve. It’s a process and when they finish their sports career they will have eating habits that will help them be healthy in their day-to-day life.”
At the same time, he states that “at the base there are workshops and talks with the Gasol Foundation and other entities so that children and their parents become aware of the importance of food.”
Ike Iroegbu approves the diet
The nutrition of Basketball Girona improve team results. And if they ask him a Ike Iroegbu, MVP of the day “The club helps me a lot. He gives us breakfast and lunch, so it’s very easy. All the food is very healthy and good. I don’t have to cook much during the season, that’s always good (laughs)», he comments.
The base of California reveals that “in other clubs I have had to prepare my own menus, it also has its fun part, but when you finish training you just want to go home and rest by watching a movie or taking a nap”. “Giving us lunch makes our day-to-day life easier,” he says.
Iroegbu says that “I’ve always tried to eat well”: “It’s important because the food you eat will help you perform on the track. That’s why I try to take care of my diet.”
Ike Iroegbu, MVP of the day: “I work to offer better performance”
With an average of 16.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 15 rating, Iroegbu confirms that “I feel good”: “On match days, my body and mind are ready to compete. My diet helps me to be at a good level. How you eat defines how you play. The club gives us the best menu so we have energy». and celebrate theMVP: “It means a lot to me. We didn’t win, but still the work I did in the best league inEuropa. The team is fine. We took a lot of positive things from the match against Unicaja and the season is very long. We have learned our lesson. We are ready for Saturday. We focus on the day to day and we constantly improve.’
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