Fueling and cooling the young hockey player

Last Updated: January 16, 2009 1:08 PM  

Jennifer Gibson Minor Menu

It's a national fact: Canadians love hockey. Families with children playing hockey live it, breathe it and sleep it. But do they eat it?

This will be the focus of my new CBC sports.ca Our Game blog - fueling and cooling the young hockey player. Weekly, I will discuss tips and tricks for implementing healthy nutrition and hydration strategies for young hockey players and families. 

Get the Jump

When discussing nutrition for this young group of budding stars, its important to recognize that there is not one mystical special diet, powder, pill or berry from the Amazon rainforest that is going to guarantee you a NHL spot.

I will say, however, that based on my extensive experience working with athletes at a developmental, provincial, national and professional level, paying close attention to diet and hydration can help fuel your child athlete to work hard and achieve 100% of their physiological potential when they are on the ice. 

Who doesn't want the chance to play their best at every game and practice?

I believe proper fueling is the proverbial "ace in the hole" that so many athletes overlook. I mean just think about it - how many children on your son or daughter's team attend on-ice practice, have good equipment, and maybe even participate in off ice training?

Now think about how many of them actually have a conscious sport nutrition plan?  If you make a change on the nutrition side, you are certainly gaining a competitive advantage.

Food-Off

What I think is often overlooked is that food fuels performance.  It provides the necessary "gas in the tank". Choosing certain foods/beverages will result in a smooth and fast "Porsche" performance while other choices result in "lemon-like" ice time - bumpy and lack luster.

Proper nutrition and hydration will help your child athlete:

• Have the right energy to perform optimally during a game
• Properly recover after a game to reduce injury and promote repair
• Boost their immune system for a healthy season
• Maintain proper growth and development patterns

For the next few months, I will blog about a variety of sport nutrition and hydration ideas including: meal and hydration strategies for pre, during, and post-game, eating on the road and for competition, sport supplements, recipes, meal planning and shopping for the busy hockey family.

Learn how to eat hockey - one bite at a time.