Hydration & Nutrition for Soccer Players

 Throughout the last few weeks of training and competition, the Directors and Coaching Staffs here at FW United have noticed an increased incidence of boys and girls suffering from poor hydration and nutrition.  Therefore, I have been asked to compile some Hydrating and Nutrition tips that might make it easier for our young athletes to compete better and smarter during a match and throughout the season! 

 Some Thoughts to Consider!!!

 In the discussion below, I have attempted to supply in words the reasons as to why nutrition and hydration mean so very much to our soccer players.  With over 120 million amateur players worldwide, soccer is the most popular sport in the world.  However, in the past there have been few attempts to research proper nutrition for these athletes.   Recently, new investigations have been conducted, and the up-to-date research suggests that soccer players should eat and drink like marathon runners!

The link between soccer players and long-distance endurance athletes seems odd at first glance, since soccer is a game involving sudden sprints and bursts of energy rather than continuous moderate-intensity running, but the connection doesn't seem so extraordinary when one considers what happens during an actual soccer match.  In a typical contest, soccer players run for a total of 7 to 8 miles at fairly modest speed, sprint for about ½ to ¾ of a mile, accelerate 40-60 different times, and change direction every five seconds or so.

Although soccer players don't cover a full marathon distance (26.2 miles) during a game, the alternating fast and slow running which they utilize can easily deplete their leg-muscle energy stores, otherwise known as glycogen stores.  For example, just six seconds of all-out sprinting can decrease muscle energy stores by 15 per cent, and only 30 seconds of full-speed running can reduce muscle energy (glycogen) stores concentrations by 30 per cent!  Moderate to high-intensity soccer players maintain an average heart rate of 85 percent of their maximum heart rate while on the field.  Through research, this effort has been shown to decrease muscle energy (glycogen) stores up to 90 percent.  If your soccer player has ever told you that they can’t run another minute or that they are exhausted…. THIS IS REASON THEY ARE TELLING YOU THAT THEY ARE POOPED OUT!!! 

Due to poor hydration and nutrition, many players BEGIN their competitions with decreased muscle energy (glycogen) stores. Players who start a match with low glycogen usually have little carbohydrate left in their muscles by the time the second half starts.  THIS LEADS TO BAD PERFORMANCES DURING THE SECOND HALF.  Glycogen-poor soccer players usually run more slowly - sometimes by as much as 50 percent - during the second halves of matches, compared to the first.  In addition, total distance covered during the second half is often reduced by 25 per cent or more in players who have low glycogen, indicating that overall quality of play decreases as glycogen levels head south.  Compared to athletes with normal glycogen, low-glycogen players spend more time walking and less time sprinting as play proceeds.  THEY ALSO PROCESS LESS INFORMATION AND DO SO IN A SLOWER MANNER than those with proper energy stores.

                               What Can Be Done to Prevent Dehydration???

Teaching kids how to evaluate their own hydration is essential to preventing poor hydration.  There are many complicated calculations to determine fluid replacement after exercise.  However, why be difficult when it can be simplified!!!  The method below is an easy tool for even the youngest children to utilize in maintaining their hydration needs!

Observing the color of their urine before and after exercise can approximate the amount of dehydration occurring during practice or a soccer match.  Have them compare the color midstream during urination to the chart above.  (Urine color will be inaccurate if it is compared after landing in the toilet bowl water.)  For those with difficulty, a clear cup could be used to catch and compare the sample if needed.  If the player’s urine is light (1 to 3), then you are well hydrated and don't really need to worry about dehydration for now. The darker your urine color gets, the more dehydrated you are and if you're in the 6-8 range, you should seriously think about increasing hydration using both water and energy drinks.  If the color is in the middle, consider drinking a little more to cause the urine to dilute more, thus becoming more clear!  Drinking an increased amount of fluid should start the day before competition to hydrate using the urine color chart.

What Should Your Athlete Drink and When Should They Drink It???

An excellent strategy is to drink about 12-14 ounces ( ¾ ) of a sports drink, which usually provides about 30 grams of carbohydrate, 10-15 minutes before a match begins. The same amount should be consumed at half-time, although players may rebel at both intake patterns because of perceptions of stomach fullness.  They must be encouraged to think about the benefits of proper hydration.  They should continue to drink water or Non-dehydrating drinks anytime they are thirsty.  Please remember that any drink with caffeine is considered a dehydrating drink.  Caffeine has a diuretic effect, making the user urinate more!!!  Thus hurting our soccer players!!!  The important thing to remember is that through experience - trying out these drinking strategies on several different occasions during practices - the intake plans will gradually become comfortable and they will help reduce the risk of carbohydrate and fluid depletion.