How to fuel a tournament athlete: hydration, real food, and why energy drinks don't count.

From the Strong, Inside and Out podcast, featuring Stephanie Tarbell of Steel Anchor Nutrition

Summer tournament season is almost here. Your athlete has been training since January. They've done the camps, the off-season conditioning, the early morning practices. And on the day that matters most — a long, hot, multi-game tournament day — the cooler you pack might have more impact than any of it.

I know that sounds dramatic. But as a physical therapist, lacrosse coach, and mom of teenage athletes, I've watched this play out more times than I can count. An athlete who was sharp in game one is limping by game three. An ACL that goes in the second half. An ankle that rolls on a field they've played a hundred times. Fatigue makes the body sloppy. Dehydration makes it fragile.

Fueling your athlete is not just a performance strategy. It is an injury prevention strategy.

I recently sat down with Stephanie Tarbell, sports nutritionist and owner of Steel Anchor Nutrition, for a cooking-show-style episode of my podcast Strong, Inside and Out. We packed a full tournament day cooler on air. Here's everything we covered.

Why tournament day nutrition is different from a regular practice day

A tournament is not a practice. It involves multiple games, heat, long stretches of waiting, emotional stress, and completely unpredictable timing. The athlete who plays three games across eight hours in July is not the same athlete who runs a 90-minute Tuesday practice.

The stakes are higher, and the margin for error is smaller.

As a physical therapist, here's what I want every sports parent to understand: muscles are roughly 70% water. When a muscle is dehydrated, it doesn't contract and relax properly. It becomes less responsive, less coordinated, and much more vulnerable to injury. That's the real-world consequence of sending your kid onto a field under-fueled and under-hydrated — not just a slow second half, but a body that can't protect itself.

Stephanie's framework for tournament day comes down to three pillars: hydration, carbohydrates, and recovery. And the first rule of all three is the same: don't overthink it. Something is always better than nothing.

Pillar one: hydration

You're already behind if you wait until game day morning

Hydration starts the day before the tournament. By the time your athlete is on the field, it's too late to catch up. Even mild dehydration — the kind where you don't feel obviously thirsty yet — affects energy, focus, and coordination. Those are exactly the things that keep athletes from getting hurt.

Here's a simple hydration timeline that works:

• The night before: Drink water consistently throughout the evening. This is not the time for soda or energy drinks.

• Morning of the tournament: Water with breakfast. Don't skip breakfast.

• 1–2 hours before the first game: Steady, consistent water intake. Not chugging — just steady.

• During games: Small sips consistently, not one big break.

• After each game: Keep fluids going. Don't stop drinking just because the game ended.

  
  

What about electrolytes?

Sweat isn't just water — it contains sodium. Without replacing some of that sodium, hydration doesn't absorb as efficiently, and the risk of fatigue, cramping, and headaches goes up.

That doesn't mean you need to load your kid down with electrolyte supplements all day. Stephanie's guidance here is practical: for a long, hot tournament day with multiple games and heavy sweating, yes — add electrolytes. An electrolyte packet in a water bottle, a Gatorade on the bench, salty snacks like pretzels and crackers between games. That's usually enough.

For a shorter game in mild weather? Water is fine. The body is good at balancing electrolytes on its own when the conditions aren't extreme.

Pillar two: carbohydrates

This is not the day to cut carbs

Carbohydrates are the athlete's primary fuel source. Full stop. They're what the body converts to quick, usable energy when your kid is sprinting down the field. When carbohydrates are low, energy drops, performance drops, recovery takes longer, and the athlete just feels "off."

Tournament day is not the day to experiment with low-carb eating. It's also not the day to try anything new at all. Go with familiar foods your athlete already likes and tolerates well. Some kids get nervous before games and already have unsettled stomachs — don't add an unfamiliar food into the mix.

What to eat and when

1–2 hours before a game (or between long stretches):

The goal here is to feel fueled but not stuffed. There's room for carbohydrates, some protein, and a little fat. Good options include:

• Turkey sandwich or PB&J on white bread (yes, white bread — you want carbs, not fiber)

• Bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter

• Greek yogurt with granola and berries

• Rice bowl with chicken

• Oatmeal with banana and peanut butter

• Chocolate milk with a banana

• Smoothie with fruit and yogurt

Within 30 minutes of a game starting:

This is where the goal shifts to quick carbohydrates only — topping off the tank, not sitting down to a meal. Fast-digesting carbs give the body immediate energy without pulling blood flow toward digestion. Good options include:

• Banana, watermelon, or pineapple

• Applesauce pouch

• Pretzels or crackers

• Granola bar

• Rice Krispie treat

• Gatorade chews

• Dry cereal

• Low-fiber fig bars

Stephanie makes an important point here: food is not "good" or "bad" — it has a context. Quick carbs like fruit snacks or a Rice Krispie treat that you'd never call a health food actually do exactly the right job in the 30-minute pre-game window. That's a great lesson for older athletes to internalize.

Between games:

Keep it simple and familiar. Sandwiches or wraps, granola bars, fruit snacks, rice cakes, protein shakes. The priority is easy digestion and sustained energy — not a gourmet meal. Avoid fried foods (french fries, chicken tenders, pizza, burgers, anything with heavy sauces) even though they have carbs. They sit in the stomach and cause sluggishness right when your athlete needs to be sharp.

The go-bag checklist: packing the cooler

Here's what Stephanie actually puts in her cooler for a full tournament day:

Hydration:

• Water bottle (minimum 24 oz, ideally 32+)

• Electrolyte packets or a sports drink for hot, long days

• Coconut water as a natural alternative

Carbohydrate staples:

• Bananas, grapes, watermelon, pineapple

• PB&J or turkey on white bread or in a wrap

• Pretzels, crackers, granola bars

• Applesauce pouches (avoid "no added sugar" versions for this purpose)

• Rice cakes, rice crispy treats

Protein for recovery (not mid-game):

• Hard boiled eggs

• String cheese

• Deli turkey roll-ups

• Drinkable Greek yogurt or Fairlife protein drinks

• Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit if you have cooler space

No cooler? Shelf-stable options that hold up all day:

• Beef jerky

• Protein bars

• Crackers, pretzels, mini bagels

• Peanut butter and individual jam packets

• Dry cereal

• Rice cakes

One more thing: pack a little more than you think you'll need. Appetite spikes happen unpredictably on tournament days, especially with younger athletes. And don't forget to fuel the parents and coaches on the sideline too — a hungry, dehydrated adult makes worse decisions for everyone.

A physical therapy add from me: put sunscreen in the bag. Heat and sun exposure increase cramping risk. It's not just a comfort issue.

Pillar three: recovery

Recovery doesn't start at the hotel or at dinner. It starts the moment the final whistle blows.

Within 30–45 minutes of the last game, get carbohydrates and protein into your athlete. This is the window where the body is primed to replenish glycogen stores and begin repairing muscle tissue. Miss it and the next morning is harder — heavier legs, more soreness, slower reaction time.

Easy recovery combos that work well:

• Chocolate milk (this is not a joke — it's an excellent carb-to-protein ratio)

• Turkey wrap

• Greek yogurt with fruit

• Protein shake with a banana

Recovery dinner should prioritize protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and continued hydration. Think grilled chicken and rice, a pasta dish with protein, or a solid burger with sweet potato fries. This is not the night to eat light.

The energy drink problem

We need to talk about energy drinks.

They are everywhere in youth sports right now. Locker rooms, tournament sidelines, social media, older athletes carrying them, influencers posting with them. And the number of sports parents who assume that if something says "electrolytes" and "performance" on the label it must be fine is genuinely alarming.

Let's be clear: energy drinks and sports drinks are not the same thing.

A sports drink like Gatorade is designed to support hydration, replace sodium, and deliver carbohydrates during prolonged activity. An energy drink is designed to stimulate the nervous system. Those are two completely different goals, and "electrolytes" printed on an energy drink label does not change what's actually in the can.

Most energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine, plus stimulants like guarana, taurine, yohimbine, and "focus blends" that are not appropriate for youth athletes. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents avoid energy drinks altogether because of the stimulant load and the cardiovascular and nervous system concerns.

Now add heat, dehydration, competition nerves, and an elevated heart rate from playing. That combination can be rough on a developing body in ways that don't always show up immediately.

Caffeine is also a diuretic. On a hot tournament day, your kid drinking an energy drink is actively moving in the wrong direction on hydration.

How to handle the peer pressure conversation

Stephanie's advice here is practical and non-preachy: don't make it a fight, and don't make your athlete feel stupid for asking.

Instead of "absolutely not," try: "Let's talk about why you feel like you need it." Because most of the time, an athlete reaching for an energy drink is actually exhausted, underfueled, underslept, or stressed — and those are problems that actually have solutions. More food. Better sleep. Consistent carbohydrates before practice. Real hydration.

The energy drink might make them feel stimulated. But feeling wired is not the same thing as being fueled and recovered.

What actually works on tournament day: water, an electrolyte packet, coconut water, or a sports drink with actual sodium and carbohydrates.

The bottom line

Every time you fuel your athlete well, you are protecting their body. This is not just about performance — though it absolutely affects performance. It's about giving their muscles the resources they need to move well, react quickly, and avoid the kind of breakdown that leads to injury.

Hydration, carbohydrates, and recovery are injury prevention tools just as much as any strength training or warm-up protocol. Pack the cooler like it matters. Because it does.

Want the free tournament day grocery list?

We built a printable tournament day grocery list and go-bag checklist to go with this episode. Send us a message at capeconciergept.com and we'll get it to you.

About Cape Concierge Physical Therapy

Cape Concierge Physical Therapy serves athletes and families across Cape Cod and the South Shore — from Chatham to Duxbury — with physical therapy, sports performance care, injury prevention programs, and Movement Physicals. We work with athletes at every level, from youth club sports to adult recreational athletes, in your home, your gym, or our offices in Sandwich and The Pinehills.

If you're concerned about your athlete's movement health, injury history, or readiness for a big season, we'd love to connect. Visit capeconciergept.com to learn more or book a session.

Listen to the full episode

Strong, Inside and Out is available wherever you listen to podcasts. This episode features Stephanie Tarbell, sports nutritionist and owner of Steel Anchor Nutrition, who works with athletes and families on exactly these kinds of real-world fueling challenges.

Search "Strong Inside and Out" on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast app.

The information in this post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for working with your own healthcare provider or registered dietitian.