Coffee: Go oahead and have a java jolt - By Mark York

Over the years, we have heard to stay away from caffeine especially coffee because it was being classified as a drug. “Say no to drugs” has been the world motto and this campaign was affecting the coffee bean industry. Drinking two cups of coffee could possibly cause a rapid heartbeat in a small percentage of people and could temporarily raise their body temperature.

Some weight loss clients have been advised to drink two cups of coffee in the morning before a workout to help reduce body fat and increase energy. How this works is that the client will awake with an empty stomach, drink the two cups of coffee and proceed to workout. The caffeine in the coffee will boost their endurance by prolonging fatigue and help the client burn just body fat. What many people do wrong is they eat a meal right before a workout, usually high carbohydrates or no meal at all and wonder why they crash during a workout. Unfortunately you will only maintain your current weight and body fat instead of tapping your excess body fat storage.

Some other benefits to drinking coffee are:

- Improvements to long term memory.

- Stimulates bowels.

- Keeps you up at night .

Of course, plenty of clear liquids should be taken in to flush out toxins no matter how much coffee is consumed.

One proven negative effect of coffee is that unfiltered coffee beans have compounds that could possibly raise your blood cholesterol as much as 20 points. Basically, stay away from coffee made in a French press. Many people claim the flavor is better, but obviously it is not as healthy for the body. Therefore, drink only filtered coffee. 

A couple of tidbits of information about caffeine:

- 1 shot of espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee.

- 1 cup of coffee has more caffeine than a cup of tea.

- 1 cup of coffee can enhance your alertness.

So, go ahead and have a java jolt and enjoy! Take advantages of the benefits a hot cup of coffee can do for you. Be sure to drink your coffee black to save on the extra calories if you’re trying to lose body fat. Also be aware of flavored coffee that has been artificially seasoned. Always drink coffee in moderation.

Athlete of the Week - Sadie Nelson

Fifteen-year-old sophomore Sadie Nelson is The Windham Eagle athlete of the week. Nelson attends Windham High School where she plays soccer, basketball and softball. 

“In the last two games she has scored 26 and 20 points which helped to lead the Eagles offensively.  She is very coachable and as a sophomore will be asked to do many tasks to help the young Eagles compete this winter,” said coach Brody Artes.     

When she is on the court the most important thing to her is, “I always try to make sure I play 110 percent and do everything I can to help my team succeed,” she said.            

Her parents are Wayne and Kim and Nelson hopes to play basketball at the collegiate level if all of her hard work pays off, she said.                                                                  

                                   

                                                           

Best way to unwind after competition: I usually go home and listen to music and think about how we all did as a team.  I also analyze what we need to improve on before our next competition.

Girls Basketball returns last year's starters - By Stephanie Coffin

Under the watchful eye of second year head coach Brody Artes, the Lady Eagles enter the 2013-2014 basketball season with all five starters returning. This year’s team consists of seniors Lonnie Staten, Marissa Ulmer, Sam Frost, and Haley Bachelder along with junior players Luisa Sbardella, Macy Mannette and Erin Malloy rounding out the experience on the varsity squad. Sophomore starters Katie Herzig and Sadie Nelson add additional depth to an already talented team. 
 

With the additions of sophomore Erin Merchant and freshmen Mya Mannette and Lyndsay Arsenault the team is prepared to battle the Class A division with tenacity and hard work. Coach Artes and assistant coach Nick Dubay are relying on the team to work together to better themselves in order to achieve great things within the division. 

Watching this team play together and converse with one another, one is witness to a group of girls who truly enjoy each other’s company and acknowledge their individual skills and talents.

Currently the Lady Eagles are 2-1 and are looking ahead to when they face Sanford, Gorham and Biddeford in their next three games.  Join them at home on January 3 and watch them play against Westbrook.

Eighth grade boys' basketball playing strong - By Stephanie Coffin

Under the guidance of coach Cekutis, the boys’ eighth grade team consists of: Nathan Watson, Hunter Coffin, Nick Curtis, Mike Gilman, Josh LaCombe, Cory Hutchinson, Nazari Henderson, Logan Emerson, Sam Mazziotti, Mitchell Budroe, Ryan Logue, Kiante Smith and Kyle Herzig.
 

The Windham Eagles boys’ eighth grade team has won five out of the six games they played this season so far. The one loss against Bonny Eagle was the first game of the season and an eye opener to the boys that they needed to come together as a team and work with each individual’s strengths and play off of them. They have since been un-stoppable with the last game coming down to the buzzer for the win.

Monday's game against King Middle School was a nail biter to the end. King started the first period strong. However, the Eagles came back in the second period and showed the King team they were on the Eagles’ court. With the boy’s classmates in the stands supporting their friends, Windham closed the first half of the game strong.

The second half of the game volleyed back and forth on the scoreboard with several Windham players stepping up to the foul line to close any gaps that occurred. Nate Watson took an outstanding charge from a King player, which caused a significant change in the King’s team morale. The King’s coach was given a technical foul for arguing a call with the referee, thus enabling Nick Curtis the opportunity to step up to the foul line and sink both baskets.

With less than a minute to play in the game and the score tied, the King team score while they had possession of the ball allowing Windham to run the clock down to the last few seconds. Nick Curtis took the shot and was quickly enveloped by his teammates when the ball glided through the net to win the game.

The next home game is Monday, January 6 against Lincoln Middle School.

Athlete of the week: Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson is The Windham Eagle athlete of the week. The 16-year-old is a sophomore at Windham High School. He plays football, hockey and baseball. 

When Johnson is on the field or the ice, the most important thing is “being positive with my teammates and working hard to bring home a victory.” 

“Tyler is an athlete, plain and simple.  He works hard both on and off the ice to improve each day and that work was rewarded with two goals and one assist in his high school debut versus Massabesic. Though not a captain, he brings an added level of leadership that has been missing in years past on the hockey team.  His continued improvement and the positive impact he has on the team will be a key component to the team’s success this season,” said WHS varsity ice hockey coach Greg Leclair. 

Johnson would eventually like to attend college. 

                                                           

Best way to unwind after competition:    Hanging out with my friends at Pat’s Pizza

Please attach a photo of the athlete if possible   There is also another picture of him in the file. ::::::::**********