If your child is playing stop-and-go sports (basketball, football, volleyball, hockey etc.) or participating in short-duration events (gymnastics, sprints to middle distances in track etc.), here are some tips on what he should eat and drink on the day of competition:
- Drink fluids and eat carbohydrates throughout the day. A failure to refuel and replace fluid losses because your child has to compete again can cause performance to deteriorate, particularly towards the end of the day.
- If there is less than an hour between competitions, have your child consume a sports drink.
- When there are several hours between events or games, in addition to drinking fluids, have your child eat easily digestible, carbohydrate-dense snacks such as fruit, grain products (fig bars, bagels, graham crackers), low fat-yogurt, sports/energy bars, or liquid meals.
- When events/games are separated by three hours or more, it is safe for your child to have a high-carbohydrate meal.
