Sports-related individuals, such as fans, players, and officials, are regularly the targets of hateful comments on social media, including racial, sexist, homophobic, and other forms of prejudice. As a result, there is rising concern about the rise in online hate speech in the sports industry. Although discrimination and hate speech have always been difficulties in sports, the rise of social media has exacerbated these issues.

This year, the Maltese government declared that Bill 260 will strike a compromise between free speech and hate speech. The law will also define and make cyberstalking and cyberbullying into distinct offences that are subject to up to a 5-year sentence in prison and/or a fine of up to EUR 30,000. This was done in an effort to make clear what
these crimes are and to discourage people from doing them. Despite the existence of laws prohibiting hate speech, anti-hate organisations, sports governing bodies, and policy makers find it difficult to keep up with the rapid growth of online hatred.

How Social Media can negatively affect athletes

According to a study that was published in The Sport Journal in 2008, receiving negative feedback and hate mail can be distracting and cause bad moods, anxiety, tension, and an increase in mental energy consumption, all of which can affect an athlete’s capacity to perform effectively. For an athlete to concentrate on the minute aspects of the game that improve performance, such as observing ball movement, choosing the best shot to play, and positioning oneself to catch a high-speed ball, mental energy is necessary. Regardless of an athlete’s skill level, these tasks involve mental effort.

It is common knowledge that some sportsmen receive more media coverage than others since they are more well-known and attract more viewers and clickbait. It’s also common knowledge that individuals enjoy pointing out others’ flaws and reading about them. Because of this, these sportsmen might come under fire, regardless of the team’s success or loss. Media outlets may downplay their accomplishments while highlighting their weaknesses and giving readers the chance to do the same.

Ricky Williams is a good example of how media attention can negatively affect athletes. Williams, a highly talented NFL player, was a standout in college football. The enormous media attention he faced as a professional athlete, along with his social anxiety disorder and profound shyness, prompted him to give up the sport. Williams acknowledged that he dreaded speaking in front of the camera and even went so far as to wear eye shades inside his helmet to prevent eye contact. Williams had outstanding athletic ability, but he couldn’t manage the scrutiny and strain of playing professional football.

Overall, the impact of social media on mental health can be complex and paradoxical. It is important to keep in mind that these athletes are human and everyone makes mistakes.

Then as soon as they missed a penalty, they were not English, just black. Anyone can miss a penalty. Anyone can make a mistake in their line of work. But to be criticised like that should never happen. They are human.

Jude Bellingham

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Where did the word ‘futsal’ come from?

It is a combination of two words. The Spanish or Portuguese words for football FUTbol\FUTebol, and the French or Spanish words for indoor, SALon\SALa. In simple terms, Futsal is a FIFA-recognised form of small-sided indoor football. It is played between two teams, five players each on the pitch at any one time, with rolling substitutions. The ball is smaller than football that is harder and less bouncy.

What are the differences between Futsal and Football? 

Brief History of Futsal

Futsal originated in Uruguay in the 1930s, from Basketball, Handball and Water Polo, which  ultimately explains the 5v5 concept, pitch and goal dimensions and the goalkeeper rules. In 1989,  it became an official sport recognised by FIFA, with the first World Cup being held in 1989 in  the Netherlands, with the winner being Brazil. Throughout the years Futsal has grown and  evolved with the contrast being evident in the number of teams participating in the UEFA  European Championship in 2022 compared with 1999. In 1999, eight teams competed in the  Championships and in 2022, 16 teams will be competing for the Championship.  

Playing Positions 

Depending on the formations and tactics used by the manager, playing positions in Futsal are the following; Goalkeeper, Defender, Winger and Pivot.

The Goalkeeper is the only player on the pitch that can handle the ball with his hands. Furthermore, the Goalkeeper is also involved in outfield play. The Defender is the last man in front of the Goalkeeper and is important in defending the other team’s attacks while also joining their own team’s attack.

The Winger is usually the most fast and skillful player on the court. His role consists of constantly going up and down the flanks. This is in order to aid in defence while also joining the attack.

The Pivot is typically the most forward player on the pitch. Their role consists of holding the play in the opponents half and setting up their team mates or scoring themselves. The Pivot spends most of their time with their  back to the opponents goal.

More articles from UoM Futsal here!

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What is Money Laundering (ML)?

It is “the crime of moving money that has been obtained illegally through banks and other businesses to make it seem as if the money has been obtained legally.” Usually, this is done through banks and other businesses.

In Malta, the maximum penalty for money laundering is a fine not exceeding €2,500,000.00 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 18 years or both. With Malta’s recent emphasis on the fight against Money Laundering, we wonder: how have sport organisations been used in the past to commit this illegal act?

Money Laundering on the Field

A recent Europol report stated that organized crimes are using match-fixing to launder large amounts of money. Football is at the centre of this criminal ring. Football accounts f more than 50% of the global betting market which could be an appealing reason why it is being targeted by the organized criminals.

Watch this video for more on ‘match-fixing’ :

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) also published a report in July 2009 titled ‘Money Laundering through the Football Sector”. There are around 265 million registered football players in the world with the highest ranking in Germany followed by the United States and Brazil. The size and diversity of the sport are huge money-generating factors, which attracts criminal activity to achieve financial gain. In 2008 alone, the 5 biggest European leagues generated a total of 7.2 Billion Euros accumulating 52% of the total globally. According to the FATF, football is being infiltrated through these four ways:

1. Ownership of football clubs
2. The transfer market and ownership of players
3. Betting activities and image rights
4. Sponsorship and advertising arrangements.

Fictitious Example 1: Funding Semi-Professional Football Clubs

To better explain the process, let’s use fictitious accounts of a small football club. This fictitious amateur club always seemed to be in deficit. The owner of the club always chose to balance the books at the end of the season through very generous donations by a number of his companies. After further investigation, it was found that these companies had not properly registered their Financial Statements as required by the law. It was also realized that this fictitious owner had been misusing company funds by withdrawing large amounts of money without justification, which is an ML matter.

Fictitious Example 2: Political Corruption

A businessman acquires ownership of a locally based football club. He invites politically affiliated people to matches and gives them VIP treatment. This is done in order to take advantage of their decision-making powers which puts him in a beneficial position and boosts business growth.

Although these cases of money laundering are not given the spotlight to protect the image of innocence attached to football, it is rather important to raise awareness. After all, football belongs to everyone and we must safe-keep the values enrolled within the beautiful game.

Check out more articles from UoM Futsal here!

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Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

The Maltese are notoriously passionate and patriotic people. With events like the Eurovision, it is truly impressive to see how a country can rally together to sass every other country’s entry in order to hype up our own.

The presence of sports at the University campus is not as prominent as it should be. Where, in other countries, people gather together to support their local teams with mascots, cheerleaders, and general good vibes, it can’t go unnoticed that this student-body cheer is lacking. This is not just at university but also in other sports that are not as well-recognised as football.

With one of our national handball team hosting the EHF Cup and making it to the third round, two gold medals won by Maltese athletes at the Championships of Small States Of Europe, the announcement of the first-ever female weightlifter Yazmin Zammit Stevens who will be representing Malta at the Tokyo Olympics, and many more wins, there is ample to be proud of and support. UM Futsal is here to guide you on how to show a little love to our local athletes.

What can YOU do to support athletes?

Follow their social media

Instagram and Facebook are full of influencers that can sometimes be beneficial but can also promote futile initiatives. Following your local athletes on social media platforms and interacting with their posts is a minimal task that can go a long way. By doing this, you will be expanding the athlete’s or team’s outreach and helping them grow their platform which will help them engage with other athletes or other sponsors. It is also validating for the athlete to know they have support from their country. Besides this, it fills your feed with positive and useful posts that can be inspiring and add some reality to a feed full of selfies and giveaways!

Tune into performances

Unfortunately, COVID has stopped many supporters from being able to sit in the stands and chant and cheer for their favourite teams or athletes. However, most competitions and games have a live stream that you can follow along. The views will mean a lot to the athletes and technical staff supporting those athletes. It will also encourage local entities to continue to share these streams. When the time comes, of course, nothing fills an athlete with more pride than looking to the stands and seeing friendly, familiar faces cheering them on.

Share

If you see a post that is of good news, and can help the club or community, share the post! The more people that can see and engage with these posts the better. News outlets are steadily doing a better job at covering athletic wins. However, the more spread of such articles the better! Sharing the successes and wins of our local athletes will only raise awareness of our local talent and capabilities.

What can WE do together?

Education

Sports should be given more importance from the level of primary education all the way up until reaching university level. It is hard to engrain new normalities into individualised who have been programmed otherwise their whole lives. By investing more time and money into sports education and awareness at younger ages, the problem will be tackled head on.

More funding

It is not a hidden fact that sports funding is unproportionate amongst different sports with certain sports receiving the bulk and some receiving none at all. It is therefore fundamental to invest more into the sports economy for a multitude of reasons. These include:

• Better facilities
• Coaching courses
• Psychological support for athletes
• International opportunities
• Medical support

Preparation for the UM Futsal team is currently in full swing to head to the Challenger’s Cup in the name of our university. Follow our journey on our social media and support your local athletes. All games will be live-streamed.

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Winning and Losing

“Indeed, in so many instances when physical talents seem evenly matched, it is the mental factors that will make the difference in winning or losing.”

It is of no surprise that the outcome of a competition affects the athlete psyche. Jones and Sheffield (2011) presented a study, which showcased that the outcome of a game is attributed to the short-term changes in the athlete’s wellbeing, confirming research which has been concluded in the early 1990s.

This comes back full circle, as winning and losing is dependent on an athlete’s mental health whilst the athlete’s mental health is also dependent on winning and losing, as well as other factors which will be discussed further along the paper.

Goal Setting

Goal setting is said to be a mental technique which aids the athlete into achieving his or her own personal goals. These goals may be short term or over a long period of time. Whilst deciding his or her goals, the athlete is to ensure that such goals align with the 5 SMART criteria, being specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time bound.

Visualization

Visualisation comes after goal setting. An athlete creates the mental image of himself successfully attaining the goal, stepping into the feeling. Athletes are encouraged to include as many senses as possible in visualization, as if they are rehearsing and indirectly training to perform their skill for the game.

Confidence

The relationship between confidence and performance has been deemed of having utmost importance. It has also been proven that the confidence within the team is directly proportional to the confidence which the coach has. This highlights another important fact – how the coach affects the athlete even indirectly – even without himself knowing.

Coping with Injury

Although an injury might seem solely physical at face value, it affects the athlete mentally as much as it does physically. “It’s not uncommon for injuries to fuel feelings of isolation, frustration, anxiety and even depression.” Being absent from competition due to an injury may affect the athlete’s mental well-being. In this regard, it is crucial for the athlete to accept help and support from professionals to take control of the situation and get back on the road of physical and mental rehabilitation.

Eating Disorders

Facing issues with self-esteem is not uncommon in athletes. Contrary to popular belief, this is the case in males and females. Coupling an intense pressure to win with an increased demand to have a particular body shape is a combination that brings about many challenges for athletes. There is pressure to look thinner, leaner, bulkier, stronger, be taller, be more petite; this list is endless. Some sports, such as wrestling, even demand a weight-class system which inevitably puts an extra stress factor into the sport. This nurtures a toxic relationship for the athlete with their body resulting in eating disorders in athletes.

The Bench Warmer

Colloquially termed the bench warmer, when an athlete commits to training but is not yet of the standard of their teammates, they sit and watch the game from the bench in the hopes that someday soon, they will be able to play amongst the rest of their team. It is not uncommon for these athletes to experience an identity crisis of sorts. The goals of the athletes seem far-fetched and unreachable. It can be harmful for the morale of the athlete and furthermore, for their self-esteem. The athlete’s career at this stage is based on hope. Hope that is constantly let down is a factor that can lead to psychological decline.

More pieces from UoM Futsal here!

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Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

Gyms and sports are up and running but we’ve learnt it’s best to prepare for the unexpected.

This is especially true when it comes to training and working out. Not training, as you used to and hopping right back into sports, is a dangerous game as a lot of deconditioning could occur during this time. The principle of reversibility in sports relates to the concept ‘if you don’t use it, you lose it!’

Whilst the internet has gotten rather crazy with DIY gyms and workout equipment, UM Futsal are here to provide cost-effective yet safe DIY ideas for working out at home.

TheraBands

The only piece of equipment we’d suggest you spend money on! It’s cheap to buy and is also one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can have. TheraBands can be used for a variety of different exercises and different areas allowing you to have a more well-rounded workout in the comfort of your own home. TheraBands come in different colours which correspond to different resistance. TheraBands are extremely portable, take up no space at all and will last you a long time!

Water bottles

Water bottles are easily accessible and can prove to be quite useful as they make a good substitute for any weight required. Weight can be easily adjusted by removing or adding water or using a different size bottle. Because of their shape and size, water bottles will be ideal for upper body workouts but can work just as well for lower body exercises.

Backpacks

Time to swap out the books for your preferred weight of choice! Backpacks can come in handy when working out at home since its virtually a wearable, adjustable weight. As far as weight goes, fill your backpack with anything you like, or anything that fits, although we’d recommend using water bottles since you’d know exactly how much weight you’re putting in and can adjust accordingly. Backpacks can be worn on the back for lower limb exercises such as squats or lunges and can also be used to perform upper limb movements such as thrusters or bicep curls.

Swimming

As the weather gets warmer, swimming becomes more of an effective and viable method of cardiovascular exercise and endurance training. Oftentimes swimming also proves to be helpful in treating injuries and recovery as it involves no weight bearing on the affected joints. With regards to injuries, however, it’s always best to seek a professional medical opinion.

Stairs

Staircases are an easy way of having a higher intensity workout in a smaller space. Stairs can obviously make for a good cardio session and are extremely versatile in the number of exercises that can be performed. Some examples are inclined and decline push-ups, tricep dips, Bulgarian split squats, and so many more.

Laundry detergent bottle

If water bottles are your dumbbells, laundry detergent bottles are your kettlebells! The idea here is quite similar to using water bottles but the handles on detergent bottles prove useful for specific exercises and also offer better grip than water bottles. You can use detergent bottles for exercises like the deadlift, squats and even kettlebell swings. The fluid moving around inside even adds an extra challenge by working on stability and overall balance.

The great outdoors

Finally, our advice is, enjoy the outdoors! Having been stuck inside for a while, it’s important not to forget how beneficial working out outdoors can be! Get some fresh air and have your workout outside whether it’s a walk, a run or even exercises. Studies show that working out outdoors eases stress and boosts your mood while providing mental relief thus eases a lot of tension while keeping yourself physically fit!

We hope these tips have been helpful! For that extra motivation boost follow UM Futsal on Spotify where we have several playlists to keep you company and help you power through!

Check out UoM Futsal’s previous article!

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Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

As many of you know, March is a month dedicated to women’s history. It is an important month as women have endured many hardships throughout history that should we should constantly be exposed to. Of course, women cannot all be put under one category, and one month is simply not enough to celebrate the achievements and accomplishments of such a powerful gender.

However, UM Futsal sees this as good an opportunity as any to shed light on some female athletes, past and present, revolutionizing the world of sports.

Through all of their actions, women are almost always scrutinized. The world of sports is no different. These outstanding athletes are all but some who have overcome more obstacles than the track and field portion of the Olympic games yet continue to excel in their sport. 

Simone Biles

4-time gold medalist and 1 time bronze from the Olympic Games, 19 World Championships, and many more titles to her name, Biles is THE gymnast of our generation. She is an American artistic gymnast holding the title of the most decorated American gymnast. She also set an America record for the most gold medals won in women’s gymnastics in a single Games. Biles continues to break records, push her technique and routines to the extreme, and time and time again, prove her excellence.

 “A successful competition for me is always going out there and putting 100 percent into whatever I’m doing.”

Serena Williams

For most of us, a household name when growing up. Holding 23 Grand Slam singles titles and being the former number 1 women’s single tennis player between 2002-2017, Williams is widely regarded as the greatest female tennis player of all times. With an endless list of wins and accomplishments, Williams has been an extremely popular name in the tennis community and an advocate for female athletes of all shapes, sizes, and colours!

‘Think of all the girls who could become top athletes but quit sports because they’re afraid of having too many defined muscles and being made fun of or called unattractive.’

Sue Bird

Bird is an Israeli-American basketball player holding the record for most assists in league history.  Another athlete with an endless resume of accomplishments, notably four WNBA championships with her team Seattle Storm and four Olympic gold medals.

‘The only thing that I’ve really noticed in my own experience is just people kind of saying that a woman, when they react to something exciting, ‘Oh, that’s a masculine way of reacting’. And to me, that’s absurd. It’s like, that’s how humans – they get excited, and you yell and you jump and you flex. That’s what you do’

Alex Morgan

American soccer player, playing for the highest division in the United States of America soccer league besides having co-captained her team. Besides a long list of wins and accomplishments, Morgan is a two-time world cup winner and also an Olympic gold medalist from the London 2012 games. Morgan is also an advocate in bridging the wage gap in US soccer.

‘Always work hard, never give up, and fight until the end because it’s never really over until the whistle blows.’

Katie Ledecky

Swimming her way to 5 Olympic medals and 14 world championship gold medals, Ledecky is a popular name in the athletic community. Having attended her first Olympic games at just 15 years old and initiating her journey with a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle, she really did set the tone for a career full of accomplishments.

‘I don’t really compare myself to others. For me, it’s about not being afraid to set scary goals – goals that most people never even dream of – and then going out and chasing them.’

Local corner

Malta is no stranger to producing female athletes of high-esteem. Our local teams of football, rugby, handball, basketball, and many other sports are often involved in international competitions and leagues displaying their passion and talent and performing exceptionally. This is also true for individual sports like karate, track and field, gymnastics and many, many more.   Local news outlets have recently been offering more exposure to these female athletes, well deservedly. We urge you to do your part by sharing our local athlete’s accomplishments and supporting these budding athletes.

Check out UoM Futsal’s previous article here!

The post Shedding a light on women in sports | UoM Futsal appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

Surrounded by family and friends, the festive season is an infamous time for over-indulgence.

This year in particular, there wasn’t much else one could do except down copious amounts of alcohol to endure all the ‘family time’, and emotionally eat to reflect on the nightmare that was 2020.

Big meals, lots of chocolate, alcoholic beverages, and hot festive drinks are all calorie-dense and, with no training, this can allow waistbands to feel tighter and can leave a person feeling lethargic. It’s no wonder that, come the new year, gyms are fuller and events like Dry January become more popular! 

A couple of weeks off from training is not detrimental to a fitness journey or an athlete’s career. Even elite athletes are given time off during this time. Rest is an important part of the athletic performance so do not beat yourself up about the lack of training and overeating. Mindset is an important part of training and it is fundamental to have the right intentions and reasons for wanting to train. Although ‘losing weight’ is important as it reduces the risk of heart disease and other pathologies, aesthetic reasons should seldom guide fitness goals (unless in a sport that requires it, such as; bodybuilding). So, although it’s common to want to be mistle-toned post-Christmas binges, the driving factor of training should be bettering athletic performance, getting stronger, and healthier! 

Get organised: planning and goals! 

After days of indulgence, heading back into the gym or training with a team can seem daunting. Quite frankly, nobody really ‘feels like’ getting back into the old routine. Planning ahead and setting goals are important to creating a sustainable training plan. Goals should never be ‘run a sub 30 minutes 5 kilometer run’ from the get-go, especially if you’ve never really run before! They can be little goals such as, ‘do at least 2 workouts a week’, ‘cut back on certain types of alcohols’, or anything that really fits what you want to achieve. 

Planning is another important factor that can help ease the journey from Christmas to Fitmas. Be realistic… no one’s really got time for a 2-hour session every day. But on days you know you don’t have many lectures, or you’re not usually rostered in for work, slot in a little ‘me time’… even if it’s just a walk. Getting your body moving is the hardest part. Evidence shows that after a month of consistency, anything can make its way into your routine.

Avoid ‘quick fixes’ or detoxes

There is no quick fix to getting healthy and fit. Instagrams are bound to be spammed with ‘tea-toxes’ and ‘follow this plan to get a six pack in 2 weeks’ at the start of the new year. As we know, it is impossible to spot-reduce fat, so if any plan is promoting ‘losing belly fat’, you can immediately disregard this from your fitness investments. There are plenty of plans on the internet that can assist and guide you towards kick-starting your fitness journey.

We recommend that you research into them before purchasing. It is important to purchase these from qualified and legitimate coaches, not someone who’s made a living by looking cute on social media. Anything attained quickly, can be lost just as quickly. Be consistent and patient, and the results you earn, you’re more likely to keep. Detoxes and fit-teas are not only useless in sustainable fitness, but can also be dangerous and damaging to your health!

Buddy Up

There’s nothing quite like your teammates motivating you and cheering you on to keep going during training. The fixed training times are also encouraging to keeping a structured workout plan. If you don’t play or practice a sport, however, this does not mean you cannot follow the same principles. There are plenty of workout classes offered by qualified coaches you can join. If you don’t want to splurge, getting a workout buddy is another great way of maintaining a commitment to training. There’s nothing quite like a competitive edge to give your motivation to train that extra boost. 

The Bottom Line

Getting back into a routine is all about trial and error. There is no one size fits method of being able to get back into training it and shedding the holiday pounds. Getting moving and finding out what works for you is what it’s all about. As mentioned throughout, there is no need to spend loads of money at expensive gyms or on expensive plans. All workouts can be done from the comfort of your own home or just outside as long as you have the motivation to plan and carry them out yourself! Essentially, if you don’t enjoy exercise, you won’t stick to it. Take the time to reflect and work out what will make you workout.

Wishing you the best of luck and a very prosperous new year from the UM Futsal Team!

Check out UoM Futsal’s previous article here!

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Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

Nutrition is an integral part of sports and athletic performance. Nothing beats a balanced diet made up of macronutrients including carbohydrates, protein, and fats. Each athlete should carefully plan out their meals to ensure sufficient intake of all. However, if there is no whey an athlete is getting the appropriate nutrition to fuel their performance, supplements are a great and efficient way of doing this, if taken correctly. 

Disclaimer: supplements are not meant to replace balanced meals. The ideal scenario would be getting enough from ingested food and supplements should be taken only if really needed. 

There are many forms in which an athlete can ingest supplements including bars, tablets, capsules, liquids, and powders. Most of these products focus on the intake of protein, creatine, amino acids, and electrolytes. 

Protein

When you exercise, soft tissues in your body (including muscles), are sustaining mini-traumas that need to be repaired. What does it mean to endure mini-traumas?

It means that the muscle is getting slightly injured and this is essential for muscle growth. These traumas result in the body repairing the muscle fibres, which in turn increases the size and mass of the muscle leading to hypertrophy. Broken down aspects of the protein that are usually received from diet (amino acids), are the building blocks that repair these muscles. 

Natural sources of protein include

Vegetarian: eggs, milk and cheese, soy, tofu/ tempeh (or many other meat substitutes), nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and pulses

Non-vegetarian: fish and meats. 

If your diet does not consist of enough protein, you can supplement this with many different types of protein powders and bars. Below are a couple of examples.

1. Whey protein – this type of protein comes from milk. It is quick to digest and rich in amino acids. Studies also find it to reduce appetite. 
2. Casein protein – this is also a derivative of milk. It’s digested more slowly however. It offers muscle a more steady exposure to the protein reducing the rate of breakdown. 
3. Pea protein – a great plant-based protein alternative coming from yellow split pea. It is particularly rich in BCAAs. 

BCAAs – Branched Chain Amino Acids

Amino acids are the building blocks to protein. There are 20 different types. 11 are naturally produced by the body however 9 have to be ingested. Of these 9, there is a group of 3 that are fundamental to muscle hypertrophy: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Although these words sound confusing the concept is quite straightforward and similar to the protein system previously mentioned. The main focus should be on leucine.

Evidence shows that with exercise, leucine decreases in the body and thus, to increase protein synthesis, it needs to be included in diet. There is some evidence also suggesting that BCAAs can reduce fatigue and decrease delayed onset muscle soreness (Doms or qtugh ta laham).

Contrary to popular belief, however, BCAA supplements are not essential to getting these amino acids in one’s diet. A good intake of these BCAA rich foods should be enough for an athlete: chicken, eggs, cottage cheese, tinned tuna, and wild salmon. But if you insist on intaking more, BCAAs can be used as a supplement. These usually come in 2 forms; powder or tablet. So… which is better? 

Powder is mixed with a liquid that allows them to get to the body very quickly. Tablets are easier to consume and more time efficient. 

Creatine

This is one of the most researched and also most effective supplements that is currently on the market. Creatine is a molecule that is found in all muscle cells and is primarily made in the liver. Its job is to store high energy phosphate groups which enhances energy carrying in the body. The phosphocreatine is a stored energy in cells and it aids the body to produce more ATP  (which is a high energy molecule commonly known as the body’s energy currency).

Essentially; more ATP = more energetic performance.

Creatine can also lead to changes in cell function that can lead to muscle growth giving more muscle gain to the athlete. 

Creatine can be taken in different forms but the most researched and conclusively beneficial form is creatine monohydrate. Always check the correct safety dosage according to your physical activity level, weight, and height. 

Electrolytes

Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium are all forms of electrolytes that the body needs a certain amount of. All water contains electrolytes, unless labeled distilled. Electrolyte water (usually sold under brand names such as gatorade or powerade) dissolve electrolytes in water in the hopes of:

• Regulating blood pressure
• Preventing dehydration
• Maintaining appropriate blood acidity (pH)

When we sweat, we lose a lot of these electrolytes and thus, sports drinks aim to replenish these lost nutrients. The same concept applies when someone is sick with nausea and vomiting. It’s recommended to drink sports drinks, to replenish what was lost. Water is usually enough to meet general hydration needs. In training situations where the body is extremely over-exerted, the athlete has a lot of exposure to the sun, or the athlete loses a lot of fluids via sweat, electrolytes can be supplemented.

You can buy these from a store with the sports drink brands as previously mentioned or bought in powder form to mix into water.

The Bottom Line

Whilst supplements can definitely enhance performance, we recommend always speaking to a nutritionist and trained professional to get the best out of your sports nutrition. 

The post Let The Gains Begin | UoM Futsal appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Kaz Louise Stoner

Sports, whether professional or amateur, is an essential part of each and every person’s lifestyle.

Whether observing from a television screen or being an active participant of a team or individual sport, it serves as a stress relief to many people.

With social distancing as the new norm and human to human contact advised to be avoided, an aura of uncertainty was put around the world of sports. We could no longer endure lazy sofa Sunday’s watching the football, or head down to the pub with our friends to grab a beer and support our favourite teams. Whilst a major source of entertainment was removed from us all, the impact this has had on athletes worldwide is un-ignorable.

Training and Games

During the months where sporting activities were halted, most teams or associations were found mid-league or competitive season. It was peak training season with crucial games left to be played or competed against. Although many associations continued with training from home via resources such as Zoom, the conditioning athletes have spent years working on to develop was decreased. Participants in team sports were left without a team to practice drills and techniques with and the face to face corrections a coach can offer was now eliminated. 

Since returning to sport, teams have adopted measures to ensure the safety of their players. The UM Futsal team takes each member’s temperature before entering the training session, supplies sanitiser, and regulates mask use when not training/ playing, and organising random swabbing for the players. However, players are still faced with anxiety about the safety of their opposing teams. 

Crowds

New regulations impose that games are now to be played behind closed doors. This means that fans are unable to support their favourite teams and offer cheers of endearment/ encouragement. Whilst a necessary evil, this can have a large impact on the performance of the athlete and team as whole. Spectators do not simply just watch. Rather, they are actively part of the experience. A research paper from Argentina using data from 1320 different games states that having fans at matches increases the likelihood of a win by 20%. With this eliminated, athletes must look within to match their fans’ enthusiasm, which is often a difficult task. 

Uncertainties

With a record-breaking week of COVID-19 cases, the world of sports is once again left up in the air. Of course, as with anything, there is a risk to contact sports. However, within the media, sports have been put on a pedestal and under attack numerous times as being too dangerous at this time. A big question mark looms over the world of sports. Athletes are training and oftentimes questioning what for? Will the league really persist? Will I really be able to travel for my competition? Will I ever be able to regain the training that I lost if we keep stopping? These loaded questions are truly impacting the mental health of the athletes and subsequently affecting their performance. The Association for Applied Sport Psychology published that athletes are experiencing an emotional rollercoaster during this time due to the ever changing influxes of information, uncertainties and changes in daily routines, their health, and the health of others. 

International opportunities

Whilst sports is an ever-expanding industry in Malta, opportunities are limited and it is every athlete’s dream to play or perform abroad. Many clubs and associations have provided teams with this experience in the past. However, since travel is difficult right now with Malta being on the red-list of many other countries, there is a void of this fulfillment in the careers of many. Even if competitions are planned abroad, with the current state of things, there is no guarantee these will go on as planned. Most opportunities (with two of the largest being the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament) are cancelled or postponed. These events have been the targets and aims of some athletes’ training for years and the pandemic has caused them to miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

Livelihood

Fundamentally, for aspiring athletes, sports is not just a hobby. Sports is a passion, a lifestyle, and essentially; a career.  Athletes, coaching staff, team managers, referees, and many others have been affected by the pandemic, as previously mentioned, impacting their physical and mental wellbeing. Besides this, however, it has also caused an impact on financial income. As stated by the International Society of Sports Psychology, the effect of the pandemic on the sporting world “potentially involves a loss of identity, motivation and meaning”. 

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