U17 - Nutrition

Key Nutritional Issues for sport

• Replacing fluid.• Replacing Carbohydrates.• Adequate Protein• Healthy Balance• Good habits

Nutritional needs for young elite athletes

• Enjoyment of sport often begins at a young age.• Encouragement of health dietary practices so that adequate

nutritional requirements are achieved.• There is little child-specific information relating to sport

therefore recommendations are generally based on the requirement of healthy non-athletic children and adults.

Carbohydrates: How much?

• No exact figures it is based on adult requirements.• 1g per kg of body weight within 30mins – 2 hours of training

or competition.• 65kg player needs 390g of carbohydrates and most are not

achieving this.

Competition Menu

Dehydration

• Muscle cramps• Sickness and headache• Dark urine• Dry mouth and throat• A feeling of extreme heat which remains after a cool down

time.

Fluid replacement

• Thirst is a late indicator for dehydration.• Recommendations are:

U15years: 45mins before 300-400mls

20mins during 150-200

after asap liberal until pee

U-17years: 45mins before 500

20 during 200-300

after asap liberal

Pee Chart

Putting it all together

• The basic advice is the same for different age groups except that quantities will differ for bigger players.

• Encourage players to bring and use drinks at all training sessions and competitions.

• Basic food after training (pasta, potatoes, meat, vegetables, curry and rice, soup and sandwiches, yoghurt, rolls and fruit etc.) would be much better than sweets, biscuits or chips after training.

• Follow by example!

U-17 Key Points

• Water before, during and after training (always carry your own personalised water bottle).

• Bring a carbohydrate snack for directly after training/match (yoghurt and banana).

• Basic food after training/competition (up to 2 hrs)- pasta, potatoes, meat, vegetables, curry, and rice, soup and sandwiches, yoghurt, rolls and fruit etc

• Younger athletes have an increased requirement for protein (meat, chicken, fish, dairy products bread, baked beans and pasta).

• Avoid greasy fast food.

• Give athletes a copy of the competition menu for their parents to stick up in the kitchen.

• Calorie intake must be enough as this group maybe playing a number of sports and often they are simply not eating enough.

• Begin to focus on pre and post training food intake. Consider foods eaten pre and post weight training or circuit sessions.

• Issue athletes with the pee test chart.