One of the things that really hit home for me while watching the Bobby Sox tournament a few weeks ago was the importance of planning for food!
Now the organization my daughters' were playing for was excellent at making sure the girls had something to eat after their day was done. Both parents and kids had some great food to chow down after the games were done for the day. However, I think we (parents included) could have done a better job at making sure our kids had "fuel" THROUGHOUT the day.
Why do I say that? Because my youngest daughter completely "ran out of gas" in the last game of the day. She was on the 8U team and had to be at the park at 9:00am because their first game was scheduled at 10:30. Not too bad. At least we didn't have to wake up too early to make sure she had breakfast and everything before getting to the field (as opposed to the 6U team that had to be at the field at 6:45am! Yikes!!!).
So we all (our whole family) had breakfast before heading to the field which was great. But because my daughter's 8U team was coming from the loser's bracket, they weren't going to have a short day unless they lost quick.
They didn't lose quick.
In fact, they won their first game and had to play again right after. I'm not complaining. I love to see my kids play, but it meant that there was NO time for going back to the tent to eat.
They ended up winning that game too which forced an "if necessary." Cool! Except for the fact that the "if necessary" game had to be played down the road at another park and the team had just an hour to get there. Again, not enough time to get all the girls under a tent to sit and get some food in their bellies.
About half way through that 3rd game of the day, I noticed how hungry I was! You see, I my 3 daughters were playing in 3 different age divisions and, every other game, I was running back and forth between the 2 fields trying to catch at least parts of all my daughter's games. Between going back and forth and trying to take pictures during the games, I never really stopped to grab food and by the middle of that 3rd 8U game, I was starving (and I wasn't even in the sun playing or coaching).
Yes, I was driving back and forth (in an air conditioned car), but the rest of my time was spent under a tent in the shade with the camera in my hand...and I could sit down any time I wanted. I can only imagine what my daughter felt like after having been on the field for 3 straight games.
Right about the time I realized I was hungry I heard my daughter's coach letting the players know who was going to go where on the next defense (there are minimum play rules in Bobby Sox). Then I heard my daughter ask one of the coaches if she's going to stay in or go out. The coach told her that she was going to be playing the whole game. She burst into tears (a strange reaction to getting an entire game of playing time right?).
Of course, the coach asked her what was wrong and she cried, "I'm tired." The thought that immediately crossed my mind when I heard that was that she was probably starving too!
I'm pretty sure part of her exhaustion was due to the fact that she hadn't eaten much since breakfast that morning and it was already after 2:30pm. That's a long time not to eat when your in the Hawaiian sun burning your energy playing softball game after softball game after softball game.
3 games in one day is already a lot for 8U, but throw in lack of "fuel" for the body and it becomes even tougher. I know many people's first reaction to crying and taking yourself out of the game is not necessarily positive - what kind of softball player does that anyway?
But I have to admit, as a coach, I'd rather have a player tell me that they're sub-par so I can put someone else in that is more fresh and ready, than go out there anyway, not feeling well and play terrible ... AND risk getting seriously hurt or more sick.
Sometimes it's just not smart to keep pushing. As and athlete, as a parent, and as a coach, we need to realize when that is...even though it can be a very tough line to define at times.
So, do you have a tournament food plan? The best way to make sure you have "good" fuel for your players (not just packaged junk food) is to prepare ahead of time. It's true you may end up with more than you need (if your team loses sooner than expected), but it certainly beats not having enough - especially when the well being of our kids are at stake.
