wray.vings KYLE WRAY
DRINK Many things have changed over the last 20 years in the world of athletic training. Workout gear used to be clunky and gray. Today, dry-fit clothing comes in “breathable” material in every color of the rainbow. Even the length of shorts is dramatically different. Go back and look at some pictures from the Leonard Hamilton era. The style was short and tight. And by “tight,” I don’t mean “cool.” I mean snug. Canvas Converse used to be the footwear of choice. Okay, there was the choice between the colors of black and white, but that was it. Now the choices are endless. (Have you been in a sports store lately?) Industry giant Nike dominates the landscape. New Balance, Reebok and Asics all build shoes designed to propel you into the next stride. Perhaps one day they will invent shoes so efficient, the shoes can do the running for you. Even the athletes have changed. They seemingly defy physics by being bigger and
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ORANGE faster than ever. As the Olympic Games in Beijing demonstrated this summer, world records were made to be broken. One thing that has not changed is the need for replenishing your system with water. The harder you work, the more you need it. Gatorade, POWERAde or good oldfashioned, quality H20 will do the trick. As Bobby Boucher taught all of us, you should never underestimate the need and importance of water during physical exertion. When I played football, the intelligence of the day suggested water was bad for you. It made you weak. That must have been before they invented dehydration. Football practice was a fluid-starved gauntlet of strenuous activity. We used to pray for a mirage during two-a-days. A tall cool bottle of Gatorade
august|september 08
was a wild fantasy. It seems all coaches subscribed to Paul “Bear” Bryant’s school of thought when it came to football — no nonsense, no mercy, no water. Salt pillsyes. Water-No. Now that I think about it, what were we supposed to wash those salt pills down with? Today, our football players are encouraged to hydrate themselves before, during and after practice. The wisdom of the day indicates cramps are prevented by drinking proper fluids many hours prior to physical activity. It makes you wonder what we will know 20 years from now that will make our present-day logic look foolish. So the next time you are thirsty, it’s ok to crack open a Gatorade. There is lemonlime, grape and a host of other flavors. Of course, we prefer you drink Orange.