Do you need after game snacks?

[soccrfn]

I am a parent in a youth soccer league, and have been hearing a lot what a pain it is to bring all these fancy junk snacks AFTER game for each player.

As players, do your really care about this? Would it be alright if your parent just brought your own snack and drink, and not something for the entire team?

thanks

[jmeek19]

Soccer at the youth age is about the kids.... they enjoy the snacks, each parent buys snacks and it rotates which would be the same if you bought for each game for your own.

[GKbenji]

As a coach, I have had some push back from parents about snacks, especially as the kids get older (12-13). However, whether you do it as a team or each kid brings theirs individually, there is a sound nutritional reason for a snack after the game. The 30 minutes after exercise is when the body is most receptive to replenishing its glycogen (muscle energy) stores. Eating some quality (or, to be honest, even not-so-quality) carbohydrates in that 30 minute window can mean a huge difference in recovery. Miss that window and you lose a lot of the recovery benefit.

I found it was easiest to do it as a team, otherwise some players always forgot to bring a post-game snack and missed that critical recovery period. Find a parent or two who might be willing to handle it for the whole team with contributions from parents (or do like I did and make it part of the team budget).

[arsenalfc08]

Just bring something that is easy to buy in bulk ie apples, oranges, peanut butter crackers

[clarke_19_rangers]

Im from england and no-one in our league does this rotational snack bringing. no-one actually eats just after games, our manager gave us two 1 litre bottles each and he expects us to use it for every match; one litre of water and one litre of energy drink/juice. he also tells us to have something small like a sandwich or a bowl of cereal but DO NOT eat anything 11/2 to 2 hours before the match then just before you leave for the match ( 45mins before match start) get a piece of fruit if you can.
since kickoff is usually between 10am - 1pm I get my dinner as soon as i get home. so here = no snack + more drink.
If I had the option to have a snack after the match i probly wouldnt have it and niether would anyone else on our team because after a game your not really in the mood for a snack. instead of these snack buying why not spend the money on buying new eqiupment for the club.
this will also reduce the healthyness of acctually playing football.
this is like going for a jog to lose weight but jogging to mcdonalds to buy a big mac.
what would be the point?

[cleansheetbsc]

I am a parent in a youth soccer league, and have been hearing a lot what a pain it is to bring all these fancy junk snacks AFTER game for each player.

As players, do your really care about this? Would it be alright if your parent just brought your own snack and drink, and not something for the entire team?

thanks

Age of the kids? Recreation league? Travel league?

[cleansheetbsc]

Im from england and no-one in our league does this rotational snack bringing. no-one actually eats just after games, our manager gave us two 1 litre bottles each and he expects us to use it for every match; one litre of water and one litre of energy drink/juice. he also tells us to have something small like a sandwich or a bowl of cereal but DO NOT eat anything 11/2 to 2 hours before the match then just before you leave for the match ( 45mins before match start) get a piece of fruit if you can.


Does not sound right to me. Eat the cereal or sandwich (not ham or roast beef, but turkey or PB & J) within that two hour window. As most of that would be carbos and will burn off fairly quick. Protein will digest slower and will balance it out a bit. Your about to give a hard 90 minute effort, you should make sure your energy level is full prior to the activity. Eating a banana 45 minutes before won't do it.

[soccrfn]

Age of the kids? Recreation league? Travel league?


Just AYSO Rec league. For all age groups. This is the issue:



the after game snacks and drinks are most often unhealthful, high in (saturated) fats and/or sugar. This sends a mixed message to our youngsters: play sports (to have fun and stay healthy), but be rewarded with junkfood (and undo the positive effect of what you’ve just done).
with a growing number of allergic children, the snacks could even be immediately unsafe for some
the snacks and drinks create an enormous amount of trash, which is not only a problem for the fields, but also poses an environmental concern
in some teams the snack tradition can become somewhat competitive, leaving parents feeling like they can’t win (who hasn’t felt that, after somebody else brings ice creams?)

[cleansheetbsc]

Just AYSO Rec league. For all age groups. This is the issue:



the after game snacks and drinks are most often unhealthful, high in (saturated) fats and/or sugar. This sends a mixed message to our youngsters: play sports (to have fun and stay healthy), but be rewarded with junkfood (and undo the positive effect of what you’ve just done).
with a growing number of allergic children, the snacks could even be immediately unsafe for some
the snacks and drinks create an enormous amount of trash, which is not only a problem for the fields, but also poses an environmental concern
in some teams the snack tradition can become somewhat competitive, leaving parents feeling like they can’t win (who hasn’t felt that, after somebody else brings ice creams?)


Small kids. The league I run does it. Kept simple: Oranges at halftime, popsicles at the end of the game. Parents bring wet wipes or paper towels and a garbage bag. Each team should work out a schedule for a family to cover. Pretty simple.

With young kids, they associate the popsicle as part of the reason why they like going to play soccer.

If you look at the popsicles, 50 calories of sugar water will not turn a kid obese. In fact our late fall games when it is 45 degrees and raining, the kids will shiver through the 4th Quarter, but as soon as the game ends they are making the beeline to the parent with the popsicle cooler.

[garethchelsea]

Why do you need your kids to have snacks taken to them surely if they are htat desperate to have some fatty food after a match where they have just burn't all that off then they aren't very good

i can understand if they are young kids like 8 or 9 but otherwise whats the point

[jmeek19]

Half time is usually a fruit (orange/apple) and then after was a drink and snack- no candies or ice cream

[garethchelsea]

some sort of sanwich after the match would be good for your kid.

[Cloust]

Just buy him a Gatorade, everybody digs it ^_^

[Ace38]

I coach a 13-18 year old co-ed rec team, and while they dont needsnacks, we ask parents to bring them for the team because the kids still like having it. No complaints from my parents.

[garethchelsea]

Gatorade isn't that just the US rip off of Lucozade

[arsenalfc08]

As I said before just bring a box of oranges or 1-2 bags of apples, easy. Throw in a little bottle of gatorade or water, and your set.

[wepainters]

lol snacks are only for young age kids. high schoolers shouldn't ask for treats.