By: Justin Bradford

Modern day athletes are quite different from the majority of athletes seen decades ago. The past couple of decades have seen the importance of good nutritional habits and a healthy lifestyle come to the forefront for longevity of an athlete's career. That's one of the big reasons Elite Edge focuses so much on off-ice training for its hockey players. These young athletes are at the beginning of their careers, and for many that have aspirations to play college, major junior or even professional hockey, a good understanding of what they put into their bodies will serve them well over time.

One of the very first sessions showcase attendees experienced is a session on nutrition. This year, Breanna Cecil, Total Package Hockey's Sports Nutritionist, presented to both groups of athletes. One thing she's noticed over time when working with young athletes is that when they see results, they tend to listen.

"They've been really receptive, especially when they start seeing results," said Cecil. "When they see a friend that had success or their body felt better after a change, that's when you see more kids asking and reaching out for help."

Players have good reason to be receptive to learning good nutrition. They continue to see what good habits can do with the professionals they look up to.

"There's a big reason why big players last so long in their career. It's mainly because of their nutrition," said Cecil. "They probably started at a younger age. I tell them that they may be the best now during this time, but what are you going to do to set yourself apart? Having nutrition can really set yourself apart from other players that may be not using that to their advantage."

Robby Murray, a third year showcase attendee from the Nashville Junior Predators, has been learning from Cecil for awhile now. He's certainly an advocate for what they're being taught.

"I've been around Miss Bre for a long time, and she's taught me so much about not only what you eat being important but the timing of it," said Murray. "What you eat four hours before is different from what you eat one or two hours before. Those things give me an edge in the game."

Murray has continued to apply what he's learning about nutrition to his life, and it's continuing to pay off.

"I'm a lot less tired, and my body recovers faster," said Murray. "I've definitely noticed my muscles being more defined and bigger."

Part of establishing those good habits to building muscle is knowing what foods to eat and when. That's a main focus that Cecil has when she's teaching.

"Gaining weight is typically hard at this age," said Cecil. "I would say start off by eating enough. Eat breakfast, spread out protein intake. Some people think you have to eat a ton of protein at one time in order to gain muscle, when if you spread it out over six times during the day, that will actually help your muscle mass and lean you out a little bit more."

Attendees are learning about more than just building muscle through good nutrition. They're also learning about what foods to eat when recovering from games, and the foods to snack on for good, healthy boosts of energy. It's something we could all probably apply to our daily lives.

"If I feel a little tired, I'm eating fruits for a quick boost of energy," said Murray. " I'm not eating a big meal near a game, plus I'm eating more vegetables and understanding why they're important. When I need energy, I've learned not to eat a bagel, but to have an orange."

It's absolutely natural for athletes to compete and want to be better. Any little thing that can give a competitive advantage over an opponent is taken. Nutrition, though, is something that will not only give these young athletes an advantage on the ice, but also set them up for a long, healthy life.