Fueling a Champion
by Jamie Smart

Club volleyball tournaments can be grueling—playing game after game with very few breaks and not much rest.  What should you be doing to get ready for those long volleyball tournaments?  What is the best food to eat before and during competition?  To help make you the best volleyball player we can we are providing you with these quick tips on how to fuel a champion. 

It is very important that you give your body what it needs to play its best all tournament.  You need to be aware of what you are doing to your body a week before the tournament even starts.  You also must make sure you take care of your body's needs for several hours after the tournament is over.  Your play will also suffer if you are not refueling between matches.  Just a slight edge of energy and concentration might be the difference between winning and losing, (especially those late afternoon games).

CALORIC REQUIREMENTS
While playing vigorous volleyball (like tournament play) an athlete can burn quite a few calories.  
Estimated energy expended per minute of vigorous volleyball:
Body weight in lbs     100      130      160      190      220
Calories burned         6.5       8.4       10.4     12.4     14.4
*Therefore, a 160lb person burns 468 calories during 45 minutes of vigorous volleyball (10.4 x 45=468)

An athlete must then add this number to the number of calories they already burned during the day doing regular activities.  This is called your basic metabolic rate.  To find this you multiply your weight in kilograms by .9 if you are female and 1.0 if you are a male.  You then take that number and multiply it by 24 hours.  Remember this is the amount of calories your body burns prior to any activity.  
* Therefore, a female weighing 160 lbs would first divide 160 by 2.2 to convert her weight to kilograms (160 / 2.2 = 72.7 kilograms).  Then you take 72.7 kilograms and multiply it by .9 (72.7 x .9 = 65.43).  Then multiply this by 24 hours (65.43 x 24 = 1570 calories).

An athlete needs to maintain a balance between eating enough calories to maintain peak performance but eliminate excess calories that would increase weight and decrease jumping ability and quickness.

HOW TO GET ENERGY
Volleyball relies 90% on the anaerobic energy system.  This system is fueled largely by carbohydrates.  However, an athlete not only needs energy but nutrients for muscle repair, growth, bone strengthening and a strong immune system.  A volleyball player’s caloric intake should be allocated daily into the following percent of each nutrient:
Carbohydrate ~60-65% of total calorie intake
Protein ~15% of total calorie intake
Fat ~20-25% of total calorie intake

DRINK YOUR MILK
Calcium is a very important nutrient for a volleyball player.  Females especially are at risk of getting stress fractures and osteoporosis if they are not receiving enough calcium.  An active female should be getting about 1300mg of calcium every day.  Calcium is not produced by the body.  Therefore, it must be present in the daily diet to meet the body’s needs.
Here are some foods rich in calcium:
            1 cup yogurt                450 mgs calcium
            2 oz cheese                  350 mgs calcium
            1 cup milk                   300 mgs calcium
            1 cup soy milk             300 mgs calcium
            1 cup fortified orange juice     300 mgs calcium
            1 slice cheese pizza     220 mgs calcium
            1 cup broccoli              90 mgs calcium
            1 oz almonds               80 mgs calcium
            ½ cup ice cream          118 mgs calcium
           
           
PUMP THAT IRON
Iron is also important.  Teenagers can loose a significant amount of iron through sweating during intense exercise.  Iron is necessary for the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the working muscles.  Iron is also necessary for calcium absorption.  Low iron can lead to fatigue, irritability, headaches, lack of energy, and tingling in the hands and feet.

The best sources of iron are beef, chicken, tuna, shrimp, nuts, and green vegetables.

WHEN SHOULD I EAT?
Timing of when you eat is very crucial.
1.  A greater number of smaller meals throughout the day is better than three big meals.  Eating throughout the day will replenish your glycogen/energy stores and use the calories you have consumed more efficiently.
2.  Several hours prior to practice or competition you should eat a light meal or snack that is a combination of carbohydrates and protein.
3.  Post practice/competition—it is so important that an athlete eats within an hour of competition.  Your body automatically begins to look for the nutrients to repair muscle damage and restock energy stores.  If the body does not have what it needs…it will become desperate and use inefficient nutrients that will leave your body drained and tired for the next practice or game.  

WATER WATER WATER!!!
Our bodies are made up of more than 60% of water.  While playing volleyball you can sweat up to two cups of water.  If you do not replenish this water your body will take it from other places in your body.  This can cause cramps, headaches, dizziness and even heat exhaustion.  Make sure you are urinating at least five times a day (this includes during volleyball tournaments—I know you don’t want to make your coach mad but it is important).

Recommended Fluid Intake for Athletes
Timing                                                Drink this Amount
2 hours before activity                        2 cups
10-15 minutes before activity             2 ½ cups
Every 15 minutes during activity        ½-3/4 cup
After activity                                      2 cups for every pound lost

TOURNAMENT EATING

• DAY BEFORE
• Eat a high carbohydrate diet (grains, fruits, vegetables) each of the 2-3 days before a tournament.
• Drink an extra 4-8 glasses of water the day before a tournament
• MORNING OF TOURNAMENT
  • Eat a light breakfast (for example, a bagel and banana) at least 2 hours before your first match
  • Avoid sugar in your breakfast (on cereal, in drinks, in granola bars)
  • Drink 2-3 glasses of water with your breakfast
• DURING THE TOURNAMENT
  • Have a snack ½-1 hour before your next match.                                            (200-300 calories, power/energy bars are good)
  • Drink 1/2 glass of water 5-10 minutes before each match
  • Take 2-3 gulps of water during each time out
  • NEVER try new foods during a tournament, try them before a practice to make sure they don't upset your stomach when you play
• AFTER THE TOURNAMENT
  • There is a 2-hour time period after intense exercise that is optimal for refueling your body with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
  • If you can't eat a solid meal within 2 hours after your tournament ends, make sure to eat something with protein/carbohydrates and some fat. 
  • Eat a small amount of sugar/fat if you are to compete again the next day.  This will help to quickly replenish your glycogen stores.
  • Drink water until you are no longer thirsty, then drink some more (thirst is not a good indicator of dehydration)

HEALTHY COOLER OPTIONS
Make sure to have lots of quick, healthy, substantial, nutritious snacks.  Athletes should make sure to eat many small snacks throughout the day.  Large portions of complex carbohydrates or protein at one time will hinder the athletes performance.  Here are some great cooler options…

• LOTS OF WATER
• Gatorade or Power Aid
• Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches
• Tuna and pita
• Energy bars or granola bars (if you only have 30 minutes before a match, you don't want to eat a lot so an energy bar is a good choice)
• Yogurt
• Fruit

     
Jamie Smart is the volleyball director for NBC Camps Whitworth site. She has coached for Sideout Volleyball Club in Spokane 2003-04. She took the U17 team to the National Junior Olympic tournament in 2004.