Troy Athens' Winning Work Promotes Importance of Becoming MI HEARTSafe

By Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor

July 22, 2022

Troy Athens, and more specifically its girls soccer team, has been selected as this year’s winner of the MI HEARTSafe School Video Contest promoting the importance of Michigan schools becoming an MI HEARTSafe school.

The Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation partners with the MHSAA to promote cardiac awareness – and Athens’ student-produced video (above) earned the school $5,000.

Michigan has lost at least 81 students to sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and related causes since 1999, according to data compiled by the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation. Randy and Sue Gillary lost their daughter Kimberly to a cardiac arrest in a high school water polo game in April of 2000. Randy and Sue Gillary founded the Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) charitable foundation within days of losing Kimberly. The mission of the Foundation is to donate automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to Michigan high schools and to advocate cardiac screening and testing of Michigan high school student athletes.

A major drive of the foundation is for every Michigan school to become an MI-HEARTSafe School. This is a designation given by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHSS) when a school has met the criteria to demonstrate it is prepared to respond to a cardiac emergency on school property. Schools receive a banner and other materials that can be displayed in the school to let those who attend and visit know that the school is an MI-HEARTSafe School.

Coach's Guide to Nutrition: Window of Opportunity

The 30 minutes following exercise, often referred to as the window of opportunity, is the best time to begin to refuel, rebuild and repair muscles.

Milk Means More logoCarbs plus protein in this window can help your students refuel and be ready to attack their next workout.  

After an exercise session or game, muscles are depleted of glycogen, their primary energy source, and are in need of recovery from the stress of training. A small snack is all that is needed in this “window of opportunity.”

The focus should be on carbohydrates with some protein; the ideal snack would have more carbs than protein. Chocolate milk has both carbs and protein, along with electrolytes and fluids to rehydrate. Liquids are also more easily absorbed by the body to help refueling happen more quickly. Other refueling options could include a smoothie, yogurt and granola, or a cheese stick with fruit.

Within 2-3 hours, have a full meal to continue recovery.

Information above is excerpted from UDIM’s A Coach’s Guide to Nutrition.