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Pre-game and practice nutrition key ingredients to success
- Coach Matt
- Jan 31, 2020
- 3 min read
With the fields getting bigger and halves getting longer we thought it would be helpful to send out a few player nutritional tips for pre-game fueling. A number of other high-level athletic organizations in the Pittsburgh area begin sharing nutritional tips with their athletes around this age, which helps optimize player performance. Depending on position, soccer players at this level run an average of 2-4 miles per game and it’s only going to increase as we continue to move up each year. In addition, we will have double-headers at the Spire Institute this Winter. Pre-game hydration and eating can be crucial when providing the energy needed to sustain increased levels of exertion. Athletes can practice every day however, if they aren’t eating properly their performance levels can be drastically reduced.
With this in mind, we felt it might help to provide the kids with healthy snacks and foods they can easily digest a couple hours before a game and if you parents wanted to go a step further, the day before a game. These tips are take it or leave it suggestions and we are in no way telling you how to feed your kids! I have a relative who works as an Exercise Physiologist in the division of Nutrition and Metabolism at Pitt and I asked him to provide a few suggestions for us (see attachments).
Pre-game foods that will provide quick burst short term energy
Fresh fruits honey and vegetables are all great foods to eat for your pre-game meal, which supply the healthy sugars to provide quick energy. Foods rich in potassium like Bananas and coconut water are also extremely important. Potassium is essential when trying to optimize performance levels on the pitch as it aids the movement of muscles. Stay away from heavy foods like french fries, hamburgers, bacon, and other foods that are high in fat and protein. This will give the kids stomach aches during games. Hydration before games is also extremely important. They need to be hydrating well before games and not just during the game. Proper pre-game hydration will stave off muscle cramps. Gatorade and other “sports drinks” (Powerade, All Sport) are heavily loaded with sugar. If you are going to hydrate with an electrolyte mix, try something like NUUN tablets or Scratch packets (links below). Make sure to not get anything with caffeine. Some supplements have caffeine added.
Snacks for pre, during and post practice and games should be healthy and mixed with some protein – Grahams, peanut butter, apples, raisins, (mini boxes) bananas, cheese sticks, whole grain crackers, nuts, - LIMIT juice, no pop or soda – make it water – tangelos, dried whole grain cereals like cheerios, frosted mini wheats, squeezable fruits, whole grain pretzels or crackers, baby carrots, portable puddings, yogurts, chex mix with whole grain.
Otherwise, a well-rounded diet of real food, no processed or fast foods, is best for a young, active body. It is very important keep your kid properly fueled. Not only are they expending a lot of calories during the activity of the day, but their bodies are growing and using more calories for muscle, bone and cell growth. It is easy for pre-teens and teens to “bonk”, during a practice or game, because their bodies just run out of fuel.
Fueling up the day before a game builds energy reserves.
The day before a game try to make meals carbohydrate-dominant to fill their energy stores for that second half where we wear down the other team. Carbohydrate rich meals will maximize glycogen stores to tap for reserve energy. Ideally, meals should contain easily digestible starchy foods such as pasta, bread, rice and fruit. These are good food choices the day before a game in addition to properly hydrating....about 16 oz. of water the night before. Carbs also supply energy to the brain. If the kids have ever felt low on energy or experienced a brain fog during or after the games, it is likely because they aren’t getting enough carbohydrates.
Hydration before and during the games
For the most part, kids this age just need to drink water, if the event is long and it is hotter, more humid, weather, drink water and alternating sport drinks. Weighing in and weighing out of practice is a good way to know how much water weight you are losing during a practice, and conversely if you are rehydrating back to pre-practice weight.
Links to hydration mixes.
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