Rules for multi-sport athletes

Kids playing multiple sports has been considered a good thing by coaches, trainers and health professionals.

But playing multiple sports has morphed into playing more than one sport at the same time. That’s not recommended by most parents, coaches and health professionals.

If you are the parent of a child who plays more than one sport at the same time, “I Love to Watch You Play” notes your athlete should do the following six things.

I have addressed this issue before and it is tough to accomplish. But it is one of the most important things to tackle.

Your child may go from school, to an afternoon practice to an evening practice. So where does homework, dinner and leisure time fit in, let alone eight hours of sleep?

Sleep is all about recovery, both mental and physical, and the amount of sleep gained determines the effectiveness of recovery. Muscle repair and growth happen during sleep when hormones are replaced.

Not enough sleep, and an athlete is more likely to suffer injury and illness. Lack of sleep affects performance, lowering reaction time, accuracy and sprint times. Proper sleep results in fewer mental errors and extends competitive years.

Foam rolling means self-massaging. When done correctly, it can relieve muscle tightness, lighten soreness, correct imbalances, increase range of motion and assist in the prevention of injury.

Your athlete should consult with a trainer to learn proper technique. Never massage on “cold” muscles. Perform an active warmup combined with massage and stretching. Keep a foam roller the right size for your physique with you at all times so you can roll out between activities.

Hydration is foundational in everything an athlete does during training, competition and recovery and is dependent upon fluid intake.

Divide the body weight in half and drink at least an ounce per pound throughout the day. Drink 16 ounces of water two hours before physical activity and another 8 to16 ounces right after exercising.

Every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise, drink at least four to six ounces of fluid. For less vigorous activity, decrease the amount slightly.Or just drink a big glass of water eight times throughout the day.

This probably sounds impossible. But the body needs time to heal. When you exercise, tiny tears form in the muscles that will eventually help the muscle grow bigger and stronger.

Recovery time is when the body adapts to stress. Playing simultaneous sports also is mentally exhausting.

Think of your body as a car. If you fill up with the wrong fuel, you ruin your car. And your car can’t run on empty.

With a little pre-planning you can avoid fast food and in place have healthy snacks ready for in-between trainings.

Here are some examples of healthy snacks: Pita and hummus; rice crackers and peanut butter; whole grain toast and almond butter; cereal and skim milk; Greek yogurt, berries and granola; protein shake and banana; multi-grain bread; sweet potatoes; chocolate milk; quinoa; fruit; rice cakes; rice; oatmeal; potatoes; pasta; dark, leafy green vegetables; avocado; tuna; salmon; and cottage cheese.

Talk to your athlete about burnout and encourage them to let others know how they are feeling – parents, trainers and/or coaches. Then respect their feelings and make certain they get the time off as needed.

Hopefully, after all the above planning and communication, your child won’t be one of the 70 percent of kids who quit competitive sports by the time they are 13.

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director. She is a partner with Outlier Creative Communications. Let her know what you think at njustis@cfu.net