As the school year begins, so do competitive sports. Whether your star is a toddler playing soccer or a high schooler ruling the varsity basketball team, one thing that should not be overlooked is safety. This includes safety for players, spectators, and the environment.
Below are some tips to help ensure safety wins this season.
Hydration. Drinking plenty of water is essential for children playing sports. Yet a mistake many student athletes and even some coaches make is believing that consuming water, or an energy drink, is only important before and after playing sports. It is also vital to consume fluids during physical activity.
Dehydration can cause headaches, confusion, and more severe complications like heat stroke or other heat disease. It can also affect performance. Because water cushions joints, becoming dehydrated can negatively impact speed and flexibility. Adequate hydration also helps prevent cramping and makes it easier for the lungs to absorb oxygen.
It is important to note that children can become dehydrated faster than adults and are considered dehydrated after losing 1% of their fluid level versus 2% for adults. The age of children also makes a difference since teenagers often sweat more and lose more fluids. On average, during activity, kids should drink between 15 and 70 ounces of water each hour, depending on environmental and individual factors, such as weight, sweat, and activity level.
Sports drinks containing electrolytes, some sugar, and salt are good ways to replace nutrients and provide energy. Electrolytes are minerals essential to maintain proper nerve, muscle, and brain function. Examples include calcium, sodium, magnesium, and potassium. These drinks should be consumed in moderation an hour or so prior to or during the physical activity. They should not contain too much sugar.
It is also crucial for parents to remember to stay hydrated while watching sporting events, especially if they are consuming alcohol. The average daily fluid intake should be about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids for women. Both men and women should be sure to follow these guidelines in preparation for drinking alcohol, then drink one glass of water for every alcoholic beverage consumed.
Food safety. No game is complete without pre- and post-game eats and drinks, which often means carrying sandwiches, snacks, and beverages in coolers. Nothing can bring down a team and its fans faster than food poisoning!
Below are a few tips to follow to help ensure food remains safe to eat:
- Avoid foods that use mayonnaise or milk and butter bases that can spoil quickly without adequate refrigeration, especially in warm weather.
- Wrap all food securely to prevent leakage and possible cross-contamination.
- Place a thermometer in the cooler to ensure the temperature stays at 40 F or below.
- Don’t skimp on the ice or ice packs.
- Eat hot food within 2 hours of packing, or within one hour if temperatures exceed 90 F.
- Keep food in coolers when not being served.
- Discard leftovers that are not ice-cold (40 F or below).
Trash. Thoughts of safety during your child’s sporting events should include the environment. This includes:
- Using reusable food containers and refillable water bottles when possible
- Purchasing food, snacks, and beverages in recyclable containers when reusable ones are not an option
- Picking up after yourselves and not leaving trash behind
- Locating trash and recycling bins
- Separating trash into recyclable versus non-recyclable and disposing of it appropriately.
