Head coach John Calipari was in the mood to discuss food as he ate lunch Tuesday at the Basketball Media Tip-off Luncheon at The Rendezvous. The event was held for the men’s and women’s teams.
As Calipari sampled the barbecue and baked beans, he said his players enjoy traditional southern dishes while he can always go for a taste of Italy.
“You wouldn’t be surprised if I told you soul food is what they enjoy eating the most of all,” Calipari said. “But when we go on the road, you wouldn’t be surprised if I told you we eat a lot of Italian as a team.”
Calipari said introducing the team to a variety of pasta dishes is just part of the learning a team experiences when traveling.
“We try to spread it out when we are on the road,” Calipari said. “I want them to taste different kinds of food and see different kinds of places. You try to expand their horizons when they are on the road.”
Calipari said his team will travel, practice and play with a full stomach.
The third year coach said a proper diet and eating food you enjoy is a pivotal part of conditioning for his basketball team.
“One of the most important things we do as a staff and as coaches is explain to them why they train hard and push themselves to the limit.
The second thing is we tell them to get rest because you have to be rested to push yourself,” Calipari said.
“The third thing is you have to eat right,” he said. “Whatever they like to eat the most is usually healthy enough for them, whether that is soul food or Italian. Those are the three things we are trying to teach them.”
Calipari wants his veteran players to step up and help with the teaching in addition to what he and his coaching staff try to teach the young group.
“We hope our leaders are our seniors along with Antonio (Burks),” Calipari said. “Earl (Barron), Nathaniel Root, and John Grice are seniors. We hope to have senior leadership.”
Calipari said Burks has been his standout leader so far.
The 6-foot junior has been a good example for the younger players with his high-octane performances in practice, according to Calipari.
“The biggest thing he has been doing is practicing at a high level,” Calipari said. “He has really gotten the other guys to go because he is on the floor playing hard.”
Calipari said his team has the depth to stay in games when his leaders are on the bench too.
“You got a lot of guys, people will keep an eye on Earl, Antonio and Anthony Rice,” Calipari said. “People will look at Billy Richmond. We got eight or nine guys that are capable of being in there helping the team.”
Calipari said he expects his team to follow the slogan of ‘Leavin’ it all on the court’ with a hefty serving of tough competition on the schedule like Syracuse, Illinois and Cincinnati.
