As a sport, hockey demands a lot of the human body. Both aerobic and anaerobic systems are called into play throughout a 60 minute match or a training session. Sprinting, jogging, hitting, tackling, dribbling – all activities that demand energy.
Combine that with a need to maintain high levels of concentration until the final whistle, plus the need to be in a psychological state that allows fast reaction times – it is clear that servicing a players energy systems is a top priority for a team’s support staff.
How much importance do you give to nutrition as part of your preparation? Is it a big part or just something that is necessary?
Rachael Lynch: “As an athlete, nutrition is something that has always been high on my list of priorities and things that I need to attend to. I think as a younger athlete it is something you feel is out of your control. Maybe you have mum and dad cooking food for you but, as you get older, you can see the importance of it, not just for fuelling your body but for things like recovery and injury prevention. Also hydration and things like that. I have spent a lot of time trying to understand my body and understand food so I can make choices that will help me perform at the best level I can.”