Olympic Coach Educates Students At Area Schools

Olympic coach and world-renowned performance expert, John Underwood, visited area schools to educate students and individuals throughout the community.

The Area Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Coalition brought Underwood to Ainsworth, O’Neill St. Mary’s, Neligh-Oakdale, and Pierce High Schools with many other schools attending including; Clearwater, Orchard, Creighton, West Holt, Boyd County-Spencer, and Elgin Pope John.

Underwood discussed a multitude of topics, starting with an explanation about brain control, and how different substances, foods, and behaviors affect the brain. Reflecting on this, he also stated the effects this has on athletic and academic performance. Underwood shared that alcohol shuts down the body’s ability to burn fat by 75%, so the best way to lose weight is to stop drinking. He also researched the negative effects on performance finding that one night of binge drinking can cost an athlete 14 days of training.

Not only does this affect performance, but the use of alcohol and marijuana also has a negative effect on sleep. These substances have show to suppress the release of melatonin, Human Growth Hormone (HGH), testosterone, and other body system hormones, resulting in the inhibition of REM sleep which is crucial to repair and recovery in the Central Nervous System.

“If you don’t sleep, you don’t grow,” Underwood simply stated.

"If you would like more information about John Underwood’s program, contact Whitney Abbott at 402-336-2406 or [email protected]. This presentation was paid for by (in part) under grant #1H79SP020880-01 from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The views, policies, and opinion expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of ONDCP, SAMHSA OR HHS."