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Stay in Touch with WINForum
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Snacks To Go
Coaches can consider keeping shelf-stable snacks in their offices or locker rooms so they are easily accessible to student-athletes who are on the move.
- Individual hummus / pretzel packs
- String cheese
- Trail mix
- Fruit (ie: apple, satsuma, something with a peel that won't get squished and turn brown)
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Low-fat cheese and crackers
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Making a sports drink is easier than you may think--you might already have all the ingredients you need in your kitchen!
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Anyone with a blender can make this
as a quick breakfast paired with a piece of toast or as an afternoon snack.
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| FREE Download For Athletes & Coaches |
WINForum's Sports Nutrition Game Plan provides tips and information- like timing your nutrition correctly to improve athletic performance
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Best Practices for Back-to-School
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Summer is behind us and the school year has begun. It's important to keep in mind the variety of ways this transition impacts our young athletes. Many of them may have grown accustomed to the structure-free summer, with few responsibilities. Back to school means returning to a morning alarm, homework, and long days of class and practice. There are some easy ways parents, coaches and other supporters can help ease this transition and the pressures of being a student-athlete.
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Student-athletes have a lot to juggle. But when there is consistency and they know what to expect, they can mentally prepare and plan ahead properly.
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 Coaches, you can highlight key items on a schedule so your players know how to be mentally prepared for certain drills, back-to-back games, or more intense practices throughout the week. You can also suggest to parents that they create something similar on an erase board at home.
Encourage student-athletes to check the schedule often, make changes when necessary and take ownership over their daily routine. Ensure that a reasonable bedtime and a healthy breakfast are both called out. Adequate sleep can help improve energy levels and focus and a nutrient-packed, calcium-rich breakfast can contribute to injury prevention and bone strength.
Check and adjust these schedules based on how the student-athletes are reacting and performing. Routine and structure can help ease anxiety and foster positive mental preparation.
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 As your student-athletes get back into the swing of things, it's important for coaches to remind their players that school comes first. Students are being pulled in different directions by teachers, parents, teammates and other friends, and they may need gentle reminders and help prioritizing. If they need an extra 15-minutes at the beginning of practice to finish up homework, be flexible, if possible. As the year goes on, they will perfect their multi-tasking abilities and be better equipped to manage their time and the homework/practice balance. Cutting practice short in the middle of exam week, or conducting team study sessions may be some other tactics to consider--not to take away from important practice time, but to encourage a healthy life balance and ultimately allow athletes to focus on improving their game.
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If you are a fall-season coach, you may assume that your student-athletes have trained properly during the summer months. Maybe you have even held pre-season practices or conditioning sessions.
For those student-athletes who may have taken time off through the summer, remind them that proper hydration, nutrition, sleep and stretching will be critical for them to avoid injury and quickly get up to speed for the season. If two-a-day practices are being conducted for pre-season or try outs, adequate hydration and frequent snacks are key to sustaining quality performance.
Know your athletes and watch for the signs of fatigue. The first few weeks of practice, you may need to adjust intensity, number of repetitions or drills, and lower your expectations to a degree.
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| We can help you to feed your athletes! |
This is a great resource to hand off to your booster parents, who may be taking care of your athletes fueling needs. This makes it easy and keeps things organized!
You can easily collect preferences from your student-athletes and then find a local deli to fill your order. There is no better way to ensure your athletes are well-fueled for a big game than to deliver them a healthy, nutritious lunch on game-day. The extra effort and money will pay off in increased performance.
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| About Us |
The science-based contents of the Washington Interschollstic Nutrition Forum (WINForum) Site and Nutrition Navigator, such as text, graphics, images, and other material are for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. WINForum clinics are accredited by the WIAA for coaches credit hours, and promote a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein and low fat or fat free dairy.
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