This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/POWERADE, however all thoughts/opinions are my own.
As a young mother living with my family in Brooklyn, New York, every day you would find me on the playground supporting my husband’s love of basketball. As soon as my own sons were old enough to handle a ball they were given their very first basketball and football and my husband started on their training. While my son Mikael didn’t have the passion for sports, my son Kyle however loved the game like he was born to play. Every weekend you could find my husband playing on the basketball court and my son Kyle playing right along with him. We were on our way to having a basketball star on our hands. Fast forward a few years and we moved from Brooklyn to Colorado and while he was far away from his friends that he grew up and played with, his love of the game never diminished. As a matter of fact he decided that he was going to sign up to play on the basketball team for his junior high school. So what’s a mom to do? Well I encouraged my athlete of course. I gave him the necessary tools that he needed to keep his game intact. So for our very first Christmas, I bought him a basketball hoop so that he could practice his love of the game and by using the following steps.
Praise/Encouragement: I give my son praises, I don’t inflate his ego but give him words of encouragement before/after every game and during practice as well. I want him to know that I am proud of him and that he did a great job. Nothing encourages your athlete more than knowing that you support his/her dream.
Constructive Criticism: There’s a difference between criticizing and giving constructive criticism. Constructive criticism helps him understand what he’s doing wrong and gives ideas as to how he can better his game. While we would love for him to win every game we also know that it’s not always going to happen.
#1 Fan: I’m my son’s number 1 fan and I am not his coach. I show support when he wins and I also show support when he loses a game. It’s not about winning or losing but about having fun while doing so. He’s not in the NBA and even Lebron loses a game or two.
Keep him hydrated: Being a basketball player takes a lot of energy and he starts practicing after getting home and homework is done until late in the afternoon. He truly works up a sweat and I want to make sure that he doesn’t get dehydrated, so I keep his electrolytes up by always having his favorite POWERADE drinks on hand.
I feel good knowing that the ION4® Advanced Electrolyte System in POWERADE helps replenish four electrolytes lost in sweat during his workout: sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. POWERADE is also formulated with a 6% carbohydrate solution to help provide energy to working muscles, and vitamins B3, B6 and B12. They also comes in great tasting flavors and has been helping keep athletes hydrated for decades. POWERADE ZERO™ features the same hydration benefits of classic POWERADE but with ZERO calories. You can find POWERADE in these delicious flavors: Mountain Berry Blast® (my son’s favorite), Fruit Punch, Orange, Grape and Lemon Lime. The POWERADE ZERO™ flavors are: Mixed Berry and Grape Zero.
I was able to pick up my bottles of POWERADE at Walmart where it is available in multipack assortment of sizes for everyday low prices. You can also get them at Walmart.com. And right now until April 4, 2016, Walmart/POWERADE has a special offer just for you. When you purchase two 8-packs of 20 oz POWERADE at Wamart, you can go online, submit your receipt and order a free custom “Just a Kid” reusable sports bottle.
There is potential in all of us. No matter what you achieve in life, you start in the same place as everyone else: as a kid full of potential and big dreams. At the end of the day, we are all “just a kid” from somewhere. POWERADE believes that with the right motivation these everyday athletes can realize their potential and one day be the athletes that they look up to. Sports have a major impact on our communities. Whether it is t-ball or the pros, every athlete in every league has a story waiting to be told. Represent your somewhere with custom “Just a Kid” apparel that features where you’re from here. All net proceeds from the sale of “Just a Kid” apparel goes to the Boys & Girls Club of America.
Support your athlete because at the end of the day, we’re all just a kid from somewhere!
Let’s discuss: How do you support your athlete?
