Liquid I.V. Takes On March Madness: College Basketball Star Austin Herro Talks The Power Of Hydration
Brackets, baskets, and hydration breaks—the motto is win big or go home for University of South Carolina’s basketball guard Austin Herro. As a student athlete playing in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, Austin needs to operate at a high-performance level, which includes prioritizing hydration. “Hydration makes a significant difference in how I perform during a practice and game. When I'm properly hydrated, I feel more alert, focused, and energized on the court,” he says. “My movements are fluid, and I can react quickly to game situations. I also notice that I'm able to play harder for longer without feeling fatigued as quickly.”
We wanted to follow this hooper and hydrator into the action, which is why we connected with Austin on the latest episode of LIV24. For the uninitiated, LIV24 is our exciting Youtube series in which we’ve gone behind the scenes with inspiring folks who use hydration to keep up with their busy schedules and high-achieving goals. And this month, Austin gave us “courtside seats” to the mix of March Madness. He shared with us a glimpse of his full throttle day which includes practice, lifting, ice baths, and finding active rest where he can. To stay in the zone, he’s also been drinking his favorite Liquid I.V. flavor, Sugar-Free Raspberry Melon. It’s the latest flavor in the Sugar-Free lineup—a collision of tart raspberry and bright melon flavors, made with triple the electrolytes of the leading sports drink and zero sugar. This convenient stick of hydration is a mainstay for the gym bag and beyond, ready to transform ordinary water into an optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins, and clinically tested nutrients.
Taking hydration seriously as an athlete has its payoff. Austin says he personally notices the difference in mental clarity when he’s hydrating. “In order for me to compete at the highest level, I have to think through real time decisions extremely fast,” Austin says. “[Hydration] also plays a role in my memorization: remembering all of our sets, knowing where my teammates need to be on the court, etc. Forgetting those things could be the difference between winning and losing a game.”
“Hydration allows me to stay locked in and not lose focus as time goes on.”—Austin Herro
Whether the tournament has you glued to your screen or inspired to squeeze in some more gym time, hydration is worth being part of the equation. “It's not just about staying hydrated during games or practices, it's a constant focus throughout the day,” Austin says. Be sure to check out his LIV24 episode, then well, you know the old adage: like and subscribe, hydrate, repeat.