![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Sw(eating) Right Into Shape
Provided by Kailee Gifford
Kailee eats beef tacos with a kale infused smoothie.
August 31, 2016
As school resumes this year, athletes begin preparation for their upcoming sports seasons by following rigorous diets to gain advantages once the season begins.
Eating healthy is one of the most important parts of athletes’ lives, as it allows them to build and maintain muscle mass, stay energized during practice and perform at the highest competitive level.
“I work out at Sparta Science, and along with physical training they work with me to develop good eating habits because I’m trying to put on more weight before I get into college. I try to eat as many grams of protein a day as I weigh,” soccer player Kailee Gifford (12) said. “In the morning I’ll have bacon and eggs, and for lunch I’ll have a sandwich or something with meat in it, and for dinner I’ll have steak or chicken or fish, something with a lot of protein. You wouldn’t be fueling a really nice car with bad gas, so if I want to be a good athlete, I need to be fueling my body with what’s going to help me put on the most muscle.”
However, wrestler Shikhar Solanki (11), is trying to maintain his weight, if not lose some.
“In order to build muscle, I have lots of protein: protein shakes, chicken, chicken and curry, lamb curry, mutton curry and shrimp curry. [However,] the most important meal of the day is breakfast. I have myself two toasts, a glass of milk and Cheerios—honey nut.” Shikhar said. “While eating all that protein is good for my muscle mass, I have to make sure to work off the weight in order to maintain my pounds and stay in my weight class.”
While changing weight is one of the products of many athletes’ diets, the biggest reason for athletes to eat healthy is to increase their energy.
“Diet is probably the most important factor in being healthy for games. When I eat too few calories, I feel lightheaded and dizzy due to constant sprints during practice and the many pounds of gear,” football linebacker Rishabh Nijhawan (12) said. “I try to eat starches and carbs the day before games in order to make sure I am ready to play at full capacity.”
Practices for fall sports are already underway, so it won’t be long before these diets have an impact.
“This piece was originally published in the pages of The Winged Post on August 26, 2016.“
