Nail your Sports Nutrition for Tournament week
-Erin Percy, Sports Dietitian
So you’ve got a tournament this weekend, months of training, team drills, and set plays are all coming together. But have you thought about how your nutrition could affect your performance? If that slipped your mind, you’re in the right place. Below are five practical tips to help you stay fit, strong, and ready to perform across the whole weekend.
Tip 1: The Day Before your tournament
Going into a multi‑day tournament you’re going to burn a lot of energy, so the day before is all about topping up your fuel. Think of it as a mini carb‑load where you get to eat a bit more carbs than usual so you’ve got plenty of energy in the tank. Simple additions such as an extra piece of toast at breakfast, a big glass of juice, bigger portions of rice, pasta or noodles at lunch and dinner, or even garlic bread or naan on the side. Personally, I love a big bowl of spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread the night before. If you already find you are feeling too full to add any more at meals you can add some high carb snacks or drinks instead. For example, powerade, fruit juice, smoothies, rice pudding, sweet yogurt, dried fruit, muffins and lollies.
Carb Loading in progress
Tip 2: Tournament day breakfast
A good breakfast on tournament day sets you up for success. Think of it like filling the tank before a long road trip. Aim for a good source of carbohydrates to top up your energy, and add some protein to keep you feeling satisfied through the morning. If nerves make solid food tricky, smoothies or other liquid options are perfect, they’re easy on the stomach and still give you the fuel you need.
For more ideas, check our detailed guide on competition day breakfasts. What makes a good competition day breakfast? — Ascent Nutrition
Tip 3: Fuelling between matches
Speaking from personal experience, tournament days can be hectic. Growing up playing netball, we often played half games and could have up to five or six matches in a day. Breaks were usually just one‑game long (about 20–30 minutes), with the occasional longer lunch break of around an hour depending on the schedule.
If you’re one of those people who don’t like eating much between games, this is where high‑carb snacks and sports drinks become your best friends. In short breaks, try to top up with quick carbs like lollies, fruit, LCM bars, or sports drinks. If you get a longer break, use it to add some protein too, a salad roll, toasted sandwich, or egg sandwich works well.
Not feeling like something big?
Smaller protein options such as yoghurt, cheese and crackers, or a flavoured milk drink are easy and effective. As tempting as they might be it is also a good idea to steer clear of your typical canteen treats such as sausage rolls, pies, sausages and hot chips. They take longer to digest and can leave you feeling sluggish or a bit sick!
Tip 4: Recovery nutrition after day one
Knowing you’ve got to back it up the next day, your recovery nutrition is crucial and timing matters because turnaround is short. Start your recovery as soon as your last game finishes.
Focus on refuelling with carbohydrates, repairing muscles with protein, and rehydrating with fluids.
A quick, easy option straight after a game is chocolate milk or another protein‑based milk drink (for example Rokeby Farms or Dairy Farmers). It kick‑starts recovery and helps prevent you from feeling too sore the next day. Depending on when you finish, it might be close to dinner or you might have a few hours before your next meal. If you’ve got time, have a small snack with carbs and protein (yoghurt with fruit and granola, or cheese and crackers).
At dinner aim for a meal high in carbohydrates with a moderate amount of protein. Keep sipping fluids through the afternoon and evening so you don’t start day two dehydrated.
“Focus on refuelling with carbohydrates, repairing muscles with protein, and rehydrating with fluids.”
Tip 5: Repeat the Strategy on Day Two
Day two is often tougher, you might be tired or sore but sticking to the same fueling and recovery strategies will help you get through the day and perform at your best.
Consistency matters.
Get in touch!
If you’d like help planning your competition day nutrition, Erin can help. She’s a Sports Dietitian and has a strong interest in working with athletes across many sports. With personal experience in netball, Erin understands the demands of team sport and can help you become the best athlete you can be.
Book an appointment with Erin, your Sports Dietitian today.