![“[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)
Women in Sports Club hosted a speaker event about sports nutrition with registered dietitian Sara Leung in math teacher Bianca Cung’s classroom on Dec. 1 during long lunch.
Leung has over 15 years of experience giving people nutritional information to help them develop a positive and healthy relationship with food. She discussed the crucial role of nutrition in enhancing athletic performance and student-athletes’ well-being.
She established two main tenets of nutrition that allow for peak performance: growth and consistency. Leung noted that people can grow and lead an active life by fueling for menstruation and performance. She also encouraged students to consistently eat three meals per day to promote regular metabolism, appetite, satiation and sleep.
“Never ever skip meals,” Leung said during the event. “If you take away anything from today, it should be that meals should be non-negotiable. It shouldn’t be an afterthought.”
Leung also provided general food intake breakdowns for athletes, emphasizing carbohydrates and protein for fuel, recovery, growth and overall health. WiSports co-president and soccer player Misha Singla (10) noted how Leung’s expertise provided her with knowledge that can help improve her athletic performance.
“I think a lot of people learned about nutritional needs for sports,” Misha said. “It was very beneficial to student-athletes. I learned about what I should eat before and after a game. Also, how to manage my protein intake and carbohydrates.”
As a predominantly female-identifying club, WiSports informed female athletes about the connections between nutrition and their bodies. Leung spoke about how nutrition can affect menstruation and encouraged students to listen to their bodies’ cravings. Because different sports require different nutritional needs, Leung emphasized that student-athletes should not compare their diets with others’.
Volleyball player Judi Abdelrazik (10) shared how Leung provided her with practical tips to achieve proper nutrition as an athlete.
“I really enjoyed the [event] because I struggle with how much I should eat before and after practice,” Judi said. “It helped me regulate when I eat and the best times to eat to be the best.”
At the end of the event, students asked questions and requested advice on how to sufficiently fuel themselves before and after sports games. Leung provided recommendations applicable to many different practice and game day schedules.
Leung shared her extensive knowledge with many student athletes and encouraged them to reach their highest potential through proper nutrition at the end of the event. Misha reflected on Leung’s message and recognized how proper nutrition can aid physical health.
“[Leung] provided the message that people should eat what they want to when they want to,” Misha said. “But also, people should ensure that [their meals] will help [their] body rebuild muscles and repair injuries.”
