Hello, my name is Adam Kemp, and I am the founder of the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program. I am a professional basketball player and nutrition educator, and I am a firm believer in the importance of good hydration habits for all athletes.
I designed the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program because, from my experience as a professional athlete, I know that before completing my Master’s degree in Nutrition Education, I always relied on my team’s athletic trainer, physiotherapist, or strength and conditioning coach for knowledge about how to fuel my body to stay healthy and play better.
Due to that, I believe providing more education to athletic trainers, physiotherapists, strength coaches, and other trusted fitness personnel can improve the hydration habits of athletes for years to come because they too rely on you to help them perform their best and stay healthy.
Hydration Heroes Mission Statement:
To support peak athletic performance and ensure athlete safety by educating trusted personnel on how to support proper hydration for athletes.
Why Should You Become a Hydration Hero?
Developing the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program was important to me as I have seen and experienced the effects of poor hydration for athletes. As a professional basketball player, I know hydration is critical due to its effects on performance and general health.
On the performance level, research has indicated statistically significant decreases in performance with as little as 2% dehydration (Baker et al., 2007). There are many more serious consequences of dehydration for athletes as well, such as muscle cramps, increased blood pressure, lightheadedness, fainting, and even death (Nuccio et al., 2017; Oppliger & Bartok, 2002).
The issue of dehydration and athletes is particularly important for me as along with the minor health issues relating to dehydration I have faced in the past, such as lightheadedness and muscle cramping, I have also witnessed a teammate faint and need subsequent resuscitation due to dehydration in the middle of a game while I was playing basketball professionally in Greece in 2018.
Furthermore, the opposite end of the hydration spectrum is equally as dangerous for athletes, as hyponatremia can also produce severe health issues and even death (Whitfield, 2006). For several reasons, understanding adequate hydration for athletes is crucial.
To produce results in improving hydration status for athletes, The Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program will educate athletic trainers, sports physiotherapists, coaches, and other trusted fitness personnel who work with teams of athletes on a daily basis. Instead of targeting athletes themselves, the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program educates individuals who have constant contact with athletes, which can produce more long-term benefits.
Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program aims to produce a foundational education program that outlines the dangers of dehydration and hyponatremia, the benefits of adequate hydration for athletes, and actionable tips that athletic trainers can bring to the athletes they supervise daily. Athletic trainers and other trusted fitness personnel play an integral role in the life of collegiate and professional athletes as they are seen as “experts” in all aspects of an athlete’s health.
However, they do not always have the specialization for in-depth knowledge in specific areas.
For example, you may have a base of knowledge about the benefits of remaining hydrated, but additional education can provide greater gains in performance and fewer health issues for your athletes. As a result of completing the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program, not only will you have more knowledge about how to best support the hydration levels of their athletes, but you will be more confident in dispersing knowledge that can help athletes perform better and remain healthy.
Completing the Hydration Heroes Nutrition Education Program and becoming a “Hydration Hero” will provide you with education and confidence in assisting athletes with their performance and health by improving their hydration habits.
References
Baker, L. B., Dougherty, K. A., Chow, M., & Kenney, W. L. (2007). Progressive dehydration causes a progressive decline in basketball skill performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(7), 1114–1123. https://doi.org/10.1249/mss.0b013e3180574b02
McKenzie, J., Neiger, B., & Thackeray, R. (2017). Planning, implementing, and evaluating health promotion programs: A primer (7th ed.). Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.
Nuccio, R. P., Barnes, K. A., Carter, J. M., & Baker, L. B. (2017). Fluid balance in team sport athletes and the effect of hypohydration on cognitive, technical, and physical performance. Sports Medicine, 47(10), 1951–1982. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0738-7
Oppliger, R. A., & Bartok, C. (2002). Hydration testing of athletes. Sports Medicine, 32(15), 959–971. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200232150-00001
Welch, C. E., Van Lunen, B. L., & Hankemeier, D. A. (2014). An evidence-based practice educational intervention for athletic trainers: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Athletic Training, 49(2), 210–219. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-49.2.13
Whitfield A. H. (2006). Too much of a good thing? The danger of water intoxication in endurance sports. The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 56(528), 542–545.