WATER, WATER, WATER
By the time your child becomes thirsty he/she is already dehydrated. Hydration plays a big part in performance for track and field athletes. Please make sure your child has plenty of cool water for practice and/or track competitions. Hydration and overall Nutrition will be important this season and will be discussed regularly.
High temperatures with a combination of physical activities, especially amongst children, should be monitored and cared for with some relative simple good habits.
Body fluids lost through sweat if not replenished can impair athletes performance by increasing fatigue and effecting cognitive skills. Luckily, dehydration can be prevented. Avoid dark, heavy fabrics when dressing to run outside in hot weather. Lightweight, breathable apparel will help the body stay cool. Some of the newer micro-fiber apparel also offers UV-protection, but always apply a sweat-proof sunscreen on exposed skin. Other accessories, such as hats, visors and sunglasses can help protect against too much sun.
Drink BEFORE you get thirsty. Thirst is a poor indicator of hydration status because, you are already dehydrated by the time the thirst mechanism kicks in. In young children especially, the body has not yet developed its thirst mechanism, so you should make a big effort to drink before and during training and matches, and afterwards. Drink at regular intervals of every 15 to 20 minutes.Research shows that a lightly flavored beverage with a small amount of sodium encourages people to drink enough to stay hydrated. The combination of flavor and electrolytes in a sports drink like Gatorade provides one of the best choices to help you stay properly hydrated.
During activity, avoid drinks with high sugar content, alcohol or carbonation. Fruit juices, soft drinks and energy drinks are high in sugar which slows fluid absorption by the body. No FIZZY drinks which can cause bloating and upset stomach. If your urine is very dark you need to drink more fluids. When your urine is pale yellow your body has returned to its normal water balance. If your urine is very dark, you should drink 500ml of water immediately, and continue to drink until your urine is pale yellow again.
PRACTICE IS KEY
Our basic philosophy on practice is that our coaches cannot help the athlete unless he/she is at practice. Please be prepared to practice on arrival. Each practice is fundamentally important . We would like the athlete to attend as many practices as is possible.. If the athlete needs to miss a practice for any reason, the coaches can give them a workout so they can practice on their own. The harder the athlete works in practice, and on his or her own outside of practice, the better they will perform in meets.
PLANNING FOR TRACK MEET
Age-group track meets can move slowly due to the number of events being offered and the large number of participates. Parents should expect to spend the good part of the day, up to 4-7 hours, in the stands. Due to that reason we strongly recommend you come prepared.Bring lunches and snacks, a cooler with ice and plenty of water and/or good snacks. Remember that meets are held no matter the weather conditions and some meets do not have covered seating so it also a good idea to have on hand some of following items depending on the weather conditions:
Extra warm and dry clothing, umbrellas, seat pads, blankets, collapsible chairs, sunglasses, pop-up tent, sunscreen, stop watches, binoculars, still and video cameras, and any other items you deem necessary.
There is normally a concession stand to purchase food and snacks at all meet sites. At the meets the club likes to sit together. As the announcer calls out the event the athlete must report as instructed so you must listen closely. As the season progresses you will become a expert track meet camper. However, never hesitate to ask questions.
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