HYDRATION

Loss of 1-2% hydration (1 li of fluid per hour for a 60kg athlete) WILL reduce performance, recovery and skills. Fluids are needed to take away heat to minimise tiredness.

Before the game/training

2 metric cups (500ml) spread out over the 2 hours before a game or training. This will fully hydrate your body before the game.

During the game- NOT LESS than 250ml every 15 minutes. This means 1 litre per hour. A single 750 ml  ‘guzzler’ is not enough. Bring 2 guzzlers or get a 1 litre bottle.

Most of our clubs have the policy that no drink bottle, no training. A drink bottle is more important than sports shoes. At games, if a water bottle has been forgotten, players should ask The Rex for a plastic cup (for some reason The Rex insist on leaving the cup dispenser empty, because people use the cups- perhaps because they need a drink!). Make them use the water dispenser regularly if they forget a drink bottle- those small cups only hold about 150ml.  Coaches might like to consider bringing a couple of disposable cups and a 2 litre bottle of (preferably rain) water to training for the inevitable “I forgot my bottle”, instead of saying “phone home, you are out of here”.

Ingested liquids take time to get from the stomach to the body, so drink consumption must be regular during exercise.

Following the game- 500ml.

Sports drinks- These contain sodium, potassium and electrolytes. For a 1-2 hour training or game, water is adequate. If attending a carnival where players may have 3 games in a day, sports drinks are a good option. Players will drink more of a flavoured drink than they will water.

Very obviously, no carbonated drinks before during or after a game. No caffeine drinks in the 2 hours before or 2 hours after a training or game.

Players and parents- hydration tests

Weigh loss- weigh the player before and after exercise. The difference is the amount of fluid lost.  Increase fluid consumption by that amount.

The “Wee Test”. If an athlete has very pale coloured urine they are properly hydrated. It is medium/dark, they are improperly hydrated.

SODIUM

Players who are sweating need salt. This can be provided in their diet, by salt tablets or ingestion of powdered salt (not as good) or sports drinks. If you have cramps, particularly full-body cramps, feel ill or feel like vomiting after exercise TAKE SALT. This is particularly the case in hot and humid weather.