One hour before game

Doesnt sound like he has much time.My son packs peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, granola bars and a pre made protein drink or a muscle milk.

based on my past experience in another sport (triathlons)I think you'd want to load up on more carbs and fewer proteins.

Orange slices, bananas, raisins, and carrots during the game, = carbs, digest quickly to keep glycogen
levels up.

Yeah,but if he eats lunch around 12 and games start around 3, then he doesnt have dinner until 6 maybe 7 thats a long time.Personally for my son carrotts, orange slices would not cut it from noon until 7 at night.But everyone is different, when my son has games he always packs snacks(even after he has had lunch). Then my son burns 2600 calories at rest,so he would blow away with the wind if he had carrots and orange slices.

Fanofgame I hate your son. I couldn't burn 2600 calories with a flamethrower and a napalm suit.

Coach2709,

I know I am dieting right now and trying to stay around 1200 with an hour walking. I am not strict dieting as I feel its a life style change.
I had VO2 testing done on my son.Its a great tool.found out he has a 10% increased metabolism than normal. In order for him to try to gain he has to eat about 4,000 calories a day. So thats why oranges and carrots would not be good.
I understand eating carbs before excercise ,but with high school baseball games its a long day they eat lunch at 12 then after school , have about hour before game, if they are not traveling,then not home until 6-7.My son used whey protein in gatorade and water before each game , and ate sandwiches and granola, maybe some fruit as soon as class ended.
He is in college and living on his own and he still packs 2-3 sandwiches for games, scrimmages etc, becasue he cant go 5-6 hours wothout food.He used to just not want to eat hardly anything and found out he had much better endurance and power if he ate right before games.
Have you ever seen mark ( the new yankee) , he eats constantly while in the dugout for energy.

One other comment. Peanut butter and jelly is good because you dont have to have ice chest. Doesnt spoil easily and relatively cheap if they waste a few here and there.Really great if your kid will eat good wholesome wheat bread for his sandwiches. We are still working on that one.

My favorite food when I was an athlete was a couple of 2" slices of Italian crusty bread smothered in crunchy peanut butter and raspberry jam or pasteurized natural honey.

Thanks everyone. From K to 8th grade he only want a PB&J for lunch. I will suggest that he get back to them. One issue I think son gets to wound up or has a case or nerves before game and can't eat before a game. Any suggestions with this?

quote:

Originally posted by gimages:
I think son gets to wound up or has a case or nerves before game and can't eat before a game. Any suggestions with this?

Learn to prepare himself mentally just like he does physically. Two recommendations:

1. Heads up baseball. Last link

2. Jaeger's book.

Both different and good read for a HS player.

http://www.jaegersports.com/book.php

http://www.webball.com/cms/page4484.cfm

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b?url=flatten%3D1%26s...ds=heads+up+baseball

Can't get your kids to switch over from the squishy white bread to whole wheat? Compromise! Make a sandwich with two slices of bread - one white and one whole wheat. Works for us!

There is some solid research also touting 1% chocolate milk as a great drink during or before games. (plus, most kids like it)

I would question giving a milk product to a player before or during a game.

One hour before gametime----the players should be at the field stretching and getting loose not worrying about eating

Agreed , some teams won't let you play if you are not there 1 hr before game time. Late 1 min and you sit the whole game.

quote:

Originally posted by TRhit:
One hour before gametime----the players should be at the field stretching and getting loose not worrying about eating

The original post said the player gets out of class at 2:15, games start at 3:15. Should he just skip the last class of the day?

emanski

That is an hour----and they do not have lunch at school?

TR- that was the original poster's point I believe. School gets out at 2:15, there will obviously be some of amount of time for him to get from class to the field and ready. While he's walking to the baseball field, what are some good things to eat?

This is especially important since lunch is probably around 12 (when I was in school, lunch was as early as 11:30). The game starts at 3:15, so probably doesn't finish until 5:00 or after. Sure, he probably shouldn't be hungry at 2:15, but if he doesn't eat then, when will he eat? That's a long time to go with no fuel in his body. Having the right food in your body to fuel your performance can be just as important as "stretching and getting loose" as you say. Again, that was the original poster's question.

emanski

No use debating with you--I answered the original post---over and out

An HR before a game you shouldn't eat anything that might upset a players stomach. Maybe a power bard and a sports drink/water but nothing else. You get to the field and do your pre game warm up. If you have a class you get there as quick as possible after class. Even college players do this.

Thanks everyone. Good diccussion. To clarify - Yes son eats lunch at school around noon. Class is out at 2:15. Walks to field and gets dressed, team installs removeable homerun fence. This leaves about 10 minutes of warm up before the game. That is another discussion for another time. My thought about eating something before game is so he dose not have a drop in engery around the 4th or 5th inning. Something about a drop in blood suger. This may not apply to baseball as there is a lot of standing around. Teeagers are always hungry. Both of my kids look for something to eat when the first get home from school around three in the afternoon. I am enjoying all the posts.

Here is the research on the chocolate milk...

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20060224/cho...ilk-new-sports-drink

There are other studies, juried research, that back this up; it seems that no Milk on the day of the game etc was always a Myth... I had always believed it and now this year there will be chocolate milk in our dugout between games of a doubleheader: Of course if we start losing games like crazy that milk has got to go!!

trojan-skipper,

I know for years my son would not eat breakfast. We started getting him carnation instant brakfasts. he still drinks those in the morning if its really early. Now he adds a banana, but his stomach isn't ready for food at 630am.The milk doesn't bother his stomach. It might if it were 100 degrees outside.

My son goes with snickers bars, has some peanuts in it for protein and the sugar is a good booster.

When he gets home in the evening, then its chips on the couch.

This is going to vary from player to player, but agreed, he does need something.

Oatmeal protein bar works great for most. Has enough carbs to get him through the game, but not too much to make him have an insulin crash in the 5th. Decent amount of protein and enough fats/fibers to keep him from not being hungry.

Of course, the old stand-by, sunflower seeds, during the game are great on many levels.

TrojanS chocolate milk is great but not an hour before a game. After is no problem. Milk products can have a cramping effect on some players stomachs. No carbonated drinks either.

I`ll eat a half sandwich. Just pack it in the morning.Usually turkey on wheat with mustard.

Myself and many players I played with never ate directly before a game---we had a great meal at home after the game---we drank water---no sodas--my stomach was always churning before a game so food meant nothing to me at that point---my kids were the same---lets just go play the game


But then I am old school

If a kid eats at 1200 then not again until 6-7,and he has a problem with blood sugar dips he will need something. The oatmeal protein bar sounds good.

quote:

Originally posted by Coach Atl:
based on my past experience in another sport (triathlons)I think you'd want to load up on more carbs and fewer proteins.

Orange slices, bananas, raisins, and carrots during the game, = carbs, digest quickly to keep glycogen
levels up.

Those are primarily simple carbs that will break down quickly. Fanofthegame gave some good options that provide complex carbs and protein, which is the ideal combo.