Surviving All-Day Tournaments

As high school athletics become more intense and competitive, the off-season training demands also intensify in regards to out-of-season leagues and tournaments. It is not uncommon for an athlete to spend an entire weekend playing in a tournament, which is very demanding on a body. While there is no great solution for maintaining peak performance, there are a few key tips to help a player stay as fresh as possible and to avoid injury.

Fluid Intake
Preventing dehydration is definitely a must during all-day tournaments. Water is necessary for controlling body temperature to prevent overheating. The body will produce sweat to help reduce the body temperature (=loss of water). To remain hydrated, it is recommended that an athlete consume 16 oz. of fluid, one to two hours before exercise, and four to eight oz. every 15 minutes during exercise. Water or sports drinks are acceptable, but since tournaments generally last more than 90 minutes, a sports drink is preferable. The sports drink (which is 6 - 8 percent carbohydrates) will help supply a source of carbohydrates and help sustain endurance performance.

Food Intake
Glycogen (energy) reserves are being steadily depleted during all-day tournaments. Thus, what an athlete is eating or not eating is very important. As a rule, food high in fat and protein should be avoided on game days because they digest slowly. Ideally, a pre-competition meal should be consumed three hours before the game and consist of 150-300 g of carbohydrates. These carbohydrates should have a low glycemic index (complex carbs) to allow a steady supply of "slow- release" glucose during prolonged exercise. Then, during the competition, the athlete should consume 60 g of liquid or solid carbohydrates each hour during exercise (between games). These carbohydrates should have a moderate to high glycemic index (simple carbs) because they replenish glycogen quicker.

Warm up/Stretching
The more games an athlete plays during the day, the more chances for injury there are. Also, towards the end of a tournament day, physical, muscular and mental fatigue set in, putting an athlete at a higher risk for injury. This makes stretching and warming up prior to play very important to minimize these risks. A general warm up prior to stretching is preferred to loosen up the muscles and start increasing blood flow to the muscles. A five-minute warm up of jogging, shuffling or any gentle sport-specific activity is fine. This should be followed by static stretching for the major muscle groups for the upper and lower body. Each stretch should be held 10-30 seconds and be performed at least twice.

Following these few simple tips should help keep an athlete playing at maximum performances as the tournament day moves on.

Hollie Heisler, PT, works in Cleveland Clinic Sports Health.

Glycemic Index for Common Food Sources

Moderate glycemic
Corn   59
Sucrose   59
All-bran   51
Potato chips   51
Peas   51
White pasta   50
Oatmeal   49
Sweet potatoes   48
Whole wheat pasta   42
Oranges   40

Low glycemic
Apples   39
Fish sticks   38
Butter beans   36
Navy beans   31
Kidney beans   29
Lentils   29
Sausage   28
Fructose   20
Peanuts   13