BELLA ALARIE

DEILYNAM _______________________________________________________________________________ ___

Owning It: Princeton Star Bella Alarie

WHEN WE THINK IVY LEAGUE, we think of world-class academic institutions. Bella Alarie and her Princeton University basketball teammates are trying to expand that line of thinking.

“Going into the summer, we had the tag line Make History, and I think we are doing that,” Alarie said recently after her team improved to 24-1 with a win over Yale. “It’s been fun to put Princeton on the map, not just as a nerdy academic school, but also as a basketball powerhouse. The basketball has exceeded my expectations.” The 6’4” Alarie is in her fourth and final season playing for the Tigers. She is the reigning two-time Ivy League Player of the Year and well on her way to stretching that streak to three. Currently, she is averaging 18 points and 8.5 rebounds. She has a school-record with 242 career blocks. She shoots 49 percent from the field, 38 percent from three-point range, and 77 percent from the foul line. Her game is well-rounded because she has worked hard to make it so. She studies WNBA players’ games that mirror her skill set in hopes of following in their footsteps. “My role model is Elena Delle Donne for sure,” Alarie said of the Washington Mystics star. Of comparisons with Delle Donne, she says, “I hear that a lot. I think Brianna Stewart is a great player to look up to. She has the range, and she plays long, so I hear that as well. And then someone I have been watching is Emma Meeseman. She is a player with a great European skillset, plays smart, and does it all. I admire those players and model my game after them.” In current 2020 WNBA mock drafts, Alarie is predicted to be a mid-first-round selection, somewhere between 10 and 14. She would be a second-generation Alarie selected in the first round, with her father taken No. 18 by the Washington Bullets in the 1986 NBA draft after a successful college career playing at Duke. Mark Alarie participated in 325 career NBA games. “He’s my biggest role model,” Alarie said. “To be both first-round picks would be awesome, but I never compare myself to him too much. People sometimes ask me why I didn’t go to Duke, and I tell them I want to write my own story separate from my father’s. He was an incredible player, but my journey has been different than his.” Alarie’s parents are fixtures at Jadwyn Gymnasium for Princeton home games. For many of us, hindsight is 20/20, but the elder Alarie knew four years ago his daughter was in for a life-altering experience choosing Princeton

University for her undergraduate studies. “This is such a great institution,” Mark Ala- rie said. “Put basketball aside. For a parent, to have your child go to a great Ivy League school; there are other great schools that are terrific academically that are not Ivy League. Duke is one. But when we knew this is where she wanted to come, we felt very fortunate they wanted her.”

Alarie continued, sharing a story about his alma mater with relation to his daughter. “She was not as heavily recruited as she should have been,” he said. “She is a late bloomer. Duke was not interested. We tried to get her recruited there, among other schools. She was No. 93 on the ESPN list of the 100 best high school players. She was way down the list, but that’s ok. It’s a marathon, and there is still a long way for her to develop and grow. “She chose her own high school. It was not a basketball powerhouse, but it was where she wanted to go. She got recruited other places but said no. She will do well because she will own it.”

BELLA ALARIE’S JOURNEY has included multiple experiences participating with USA basketball. In 2017 she was a member of the silver-medal win- ning team at the FIBA U19 World Cup. This past summer, she participated in the Pan American Games, where the women’s team won silver again. “When I play for USA basketball, my role changes every summer,” Alarie explained. “It is important to build on those skills and do the best you can at what you are good at, espe- cially with USA basketball because everyone is so talented on those teams, and you really do need to be a role player. Being able to play for such amazing coaches and getting their insights and being able to spend the summer playing basketball is so valuable.” Bella Alarie’s professional basketball future is bright, but she has a final chapter at Princ- eton she would like to write. The Tigers have been to the NCAA tournament eight times in the school’s history; they have only won one NCAA tournament game. Alarie and her teammates want to add to that first-round win total. For many reasons, including having the nation’s No.1 scoring defense, Alarie believes the Tigers’ time is now to advance to the sec- ond round or further. “I have felt the heartbreak of getting blown out in the first round, and then losing a really close game,” Alarie recalled. “Now I have one more chance. We are fully prepared to make it to the tournament, give it everything we have, and I think we have all the tools and prepara- tion to win a game or more. Make History, #whynot.” n

GETFIT ______________________________________________________________________________________________ BY ALEXANDRA DUNEK For more guidance, follow Alexandra, NASM Certified Personal Trainer on Instagram at @TipsfromAFitChick

Instagram Inspiration

IN OUR PREVIOUS ISSUE, I gave some simple health tips in light of the new year. I hope they were solid reminders for those of you seeking lifestyle improvements. Now that we are a few months into 2020, I figured I would keep the motivation going. Figuring out how to progress in your health journey can be really overwhelming for most people. We all know the pillars: eat nutritious food, prioritize exercise and drink plenty of water, but some of us get lost when putting pen to paper. Here are some common questions: “What types of food should I be eating?” “What kind of exercises are the most beneficial, and how do I perform them?” “How much cardio should I do?” “Is it ok to eat bread?” “Should I cut sugar out of my diet?” Trust me, I’ve thought these very same questions and went through years of trial and error. I’ve worked with countless coaches, watched hours of exercise videos on YouTube, studied to become a personal trainer and attempted just about every diet approach under the sun. Many people feel like the only option in order to achieve results is to hire a coach. While a coach can be a great fit, social media can also be

an extremely powerful resource. There are many experts with degrees and qualifications that provide free, science-based content, accessible to everyone. I thought it would be motivating to share some of the popular Instagram pages that have helped me along the way. I know for a fact they will help you too.

Each of them also offers their own coaching services if you rather have more detailed help. Do you have any favorite influencers to share with me? Let me know on my Instagram page, @TipsFromAFitChick!

Sohee Lee, @soheefit

Sohee is a published author and coach who runs, “Eat Lift Thrive”, an online coaching company (which also happens to be the title of her book.) She shares a little bit of everything, from proper lifting techniques to nutrition tips. I highly recommend reading her book if you are a beginner!

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, @drnadolsky

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is known as “The Doc Who Lifts”. He’s an Obesity/Lipid Specialist and Chief Physician for Renaissance Periodization (an online diet and training company - @rpstrength). His posts have a way of making you laugh while putting things in perspective.

Marci Nevin, @marcinevin

Carter Good, @cartergood

Carter calls himself a “Fat Loss Coach.” It’s his area of expertise for a good reason: He lost over 100lbs and has maintained his results ever since. He shares a lot of info on nutrition directed towards fat loss and how to maintain a healthy mindset and relationship with food.

Jordan Syatt, @syattfitness

A few people, like me, originally knew Jordan from being Gary Vaynerchuk’s (aka Gary Vee) personal trainer. He has since then grown his following by sharing helpful videos, tips and just being authentically himself. Marci is a health coach and to quote her bio, “I help women overcome the all or nothing mindset and achieve lasting fat loss.” Men can also benefit from her quality posts.

Amber Orton/Fokken, @mishkadawn + @holisticado

I always look forward to Amber’s posts because she shares many aspects of her life. You’ll find at-home workouts, plant-based/ vegan/dairy-free meals and brands, nontoxic product recommendations and tips on holistic health. I always learn something new from her. Hippie Eats is her first plantbased cookbook.