After traveling across the country, going 3-4 at the plate with a two-run homer and a double, most would succumb to jet lag and enjoy a relaxing morning before gearing up for round two. Well, that was not the case for MISSION’s newest athlete, Adrian Gonzalez of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Adrian spent last Wednesday morning hanging out with our team and 20 excited little leaguers to shoot a video for MISSION Shock Grip, a shrink-to-fit grip for baseball bats that reduces shock and enhances grip. (Expect the full video to hit the Internet in mid-June!)

While we loved having Adrian in our spotlight, many of his best moments were off camera. He met all 20 of his co-stars before we starting filming, and took time to take photos with the  crew of little sluggers.

It’s safe to say that the local teams from Rye Brook and Yonkers stole the spotlight at times! Not only did they hit it out of the park with their acting chops, they were real champs when it came to spending all day out in the hot sun. Of course, they rocked  MISSION EnduraCool towels on set to keep refreshed!

For a one-day shoot, we assembled an All-Star squad and are glad to have Adrian as a part of the Mission Athletecare team.

Check out some more pics from the day!

We are solidly into August now, and for many athletes, that means they are enduring long, hot practices in the brutual sun and heat.  If you are the parent of an athlete, you are likely looking for some information on how to help keep your kid safe as he or she heads into pre-season practices.

At MISSION we work with leading scientists, trainers and athletes to help athletes protect their bodies and perform their best.  Cooling is top of mind among our partners, as they continue to work to help keep you cooler, so you can go harder.  This year we have introduced our Enduracool Instant Cooling Helmet Liner and the Enduracool Instant Cooling Hoodie, developed for Football and other team sports to specifically address the sideline and in game needs of players who experience overheating.

But, cooling the skin is one of several important prevention practices to combat overheating.  So,while we have been talking about staying cool during the summer in several blog articles; today we wanted to specifially address athletes and ways to help them stay cool at practice.  To that end, we wanted to share information that was published by the Korey Stringer Institute and Gatorade www.ksi.uconn.edu in the 2013 Gatorade Heat Safety Kit.  

They have given 10 tips for staying cool.  Check them out below and let us know if you have any other recommendations that have helped you or your kid out in the past.

Good luck with pre-season and stay cool!

 1.  ALLOW FOR ACCLIMATION - While it can take 10-14 days for an athlete's body to adapt to the heat, acclimation should  start  two  weeks  before  team  practices  begin. An  athlete  should  start  with 15-20 minutes of  continuous  exercise  outside in the  heat, and add  5-10 minutes each day.

2.  ADOPT REHYDRATION STRATEGY - Hydration helps reduce an athlete's risk of heat illness and can help the athlete maintain a high level of performance. Proactive steps athletes can take to avoid dehydrat ion include:

•             Weigh in and out before and after activity

•             Drink enough fluid to minimize weight loss -for each pound [16 oz.) that is lost , he or she may need to consume 20 ounces after athletic activity to fully rehydrate.

•             Check urine. If ifs li e pale lemonade, thafs a sign of good hydration.

3.            DRINK UP - Athletes should drink enough fluid to prevent dehydration without ove r-drinking. Flavored, cold, lightly salted sports drinks (ie Gatorade) are important because sodium helps maintain the physiological desire to drink and helps retain the fluid consumed.

4.            BUDDY UP AND KNOW THE SIGNS - Encourage athletes to buddy up with a teammate and watch out for each other when ifs hot and humid. They should know the signs and symptoms of heat illness which can include:

•             Nausea

•             Headache

•             Weakness

•             Poor concentration

•             Personality change

•             Flushed skin

•             Loss of muscle coordination

•             Fatigue

•             Fainting              

•             Light headedness           

•             Vomiting

5.            COOL THE BODY - If experiencing heat illness, an athlete should take steps to cool the body , including lying in a cool place with legs elevated , applying cool towels  (ie Enduracool!) to the body and drinking cool fluids.

6.            BE FLEXIBLE -An important step in avoiding heat illness is adjusting practice or game length and intensity to the environmental conditions. If possible , athletes should avoid strenuous and high intensity activities during the warmest time of day [10 am- 4 ptn).

7.            DRESS FOR THE WEATHER -Keeping cool in hot weather means being mindful of appropriate clothing and equipment that can help evaporate heat from the body:

•             Wear light-colored clothing

•             Wear t-shirts and shorts, not pads

•             Remove helmets when not active

•             Avoid wearing excess clothing

•             Change sweat-s oaked clothing frequently

8.            FIND TIME FOR RECOVERY - Rest and recovery are an essential part of avoiding heat illness. Athletes should work in times for breaks when active throughout the day, attempt to get six to eight hours of sleep a night and sleep in a cool environment, if possible.

9. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET - Athletes need to think about fueling before, during and after physical activity. He or she should be fully hydrated with fluids and fueled with foods that contain electrolytes to maintain fluid levels. Fluids lost through sweat and breathing should be replaced by fluid consumption including during workouts,  practices and games  [physical activity).

10. HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN - Have a plan to contact medical professionals in an emergency. Also keep a  "cool pool, or ice bath nearby  so  medical personnel can choose  to  immerse  athletes suffering fro m heat stroke  if  necessary.

Memorial Day… the “unofficial” start of summer for many.  While we love much of what summer brings, it can also bring blistering heat, and the challenges to keep yourself and your kids cool.  However, as long as you take a few essential precautions, breezing through the summer heat can be easy. Let’s face it. Our kids aren't familiar enough with the symptoms of overheating to let us know when they need to take steps to stay cool.  Children also sweat less than adults, making it harder for them to cool off and putting them at greater potential risk.  Preventing dehydration, overheating and sun damage are essential for families in the summer. Balancing time in and out of the sun will help everyone enjoy summer more. So if you are out there this weekend, kicking off your family’s summer of fun, follow these 5 simple tips to prevent sun and heat-related illness. 

1. Hydrate: Drink water. Stay fully hydrated by drinking water with other caffeine-free liquids. When you drink liquids with salts, sugar and minerals, you replace what you sweat out. Alternate drinking water with sports drinks and juices.  Drinking water-rich fruit such as grapes or watermelon will also help kids replace fluids, nutrients and minerals. Kids old enough to eat whole grapes might enjoy them even more while frozen. 

2. Stay Protected from the Sun: Play in the water, but remember to reapply sunscreen frequently. Playing in water, whether in the ocean or the pool, helps prevent overheating. But even water resistant sunscreen will wash off eventually, so reapply frequently and after leaving the water.  If you kids are sweating while playing pick-up games with friends or at organized sport camps, re-application is critical here as well. General rule of thumb is that water resistant sunscreen like MISSION’s Kids Continuous Play Sunscreen SPF 70 has up to 80 minutes of water/sweat resistance.

3. Dress Cool to Feel Cool & Protected- Light, breathable clothing keeps everyone cool. Pastels and whites aren't just fashionable for summer: they help reflect light away from the body. Loose, lightweight, breathable fabric will keep kids cool. Sunhats for kids help protect their face and eyes, which can be crucial protection for kids who won't wear sunglasses. And now,  there are more and more wearable accessories that have Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) that block the majority of harmful rays that kids are exposed to when in the sun. MISSION’s new line of Instant Cooling Gear will not only help your kids stay cool, but the fabric has UPF 50 protection from the sun!  A two-in-one product to defeat the sun and heat this summer.

4. Bring Down Skin Temperature & Cool Pulse Points  -  Pulse points are essentially areas where you can feel your pulse because your blood vessels are close to the surface of your skin.  Because they are so close, you can help cool off your blood by getting the area in contact with cool water or fabric. Your neck is arguably one of the most effective pulse points to try to keep cool.  Other pulse points include your wrists, the insides of your elbows and knees and your temples.   When kids exhibit symptoms of heat exhaustion parents can help cool them by running cool water on their pulse points.  Jumping in a cool pool will also help, but let’s be honest; a cool body of water is not always readily available.  When you need a portable solution that will cool down the skin, but not soak your kid’s clothing at the same time, try MISSION’s Instant Cooling Towel.  A quick burst of cool anywhere that will give your budding all-star relief.

5. Limit outdoor activities during the hottest part of the day- This is either 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., depending on your location. Kids can still play outside during this time, but make sure that shade and beverages are nearby and check kids regularly for signs of overheating or sun damage. If you are attending a special event like a sports tournament, a fair or going to an amusement park, check the venue map for the nearest food courts or first aid facilities. They often have shady areas where you can cool off when needed. 

Play Hard.  Have Fun.  Happy Memorial Day!  Get your MISSION on!

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