Why nutrition matters

My coaches on my travel team organize sessions with experts to educate about why proper nutrition matters, especially for young female athletes that being teenagers, going to school, and playing soccer for nearly 10 hours per week.

2013 article called "Sport Nutrition for Young Athletes" from the Canadian Pediatric Society (it's free on PMC!) talks all about how us young athletes – especially girls like me – need the right fuel to grow strong, play our best, and avoid getting tired or hurt.

The article says proper nutrition helps with optimal growth and development while giving energy for sports. Since we're growing so fast (like building 50% of our adult body weight and 40% of our bone mass during these years), we can't skimp on calories or nutrients. Deficits can cause fatigue, injuries, or even mess with things like periods for us girls.

Here are the big things it highlights that hit home for me as a 14-year-old soccer girl:

• Energy/Calories — We need way more than just "normal" teen girls because of training and growth. For girls 15–18 (close to my age), the minimum is around 2200 kcal/day, but add extra for practices/games. If we don't eat enough, we get super tired, lose muscle, or get injured more easily.

• Carbs — These are our main fuel! They should be 45–65% of what we eat (like whole grains, fruits, veggies, pasta, rice). Carbs get stored as glycogen in our muscles so we can sprint and last through games without crashing.

• Protein — For fixing muscles after all that running and kicking. Aim for 10–30% of calories from lean meats, eggs, dairy, beans, or nuts.

• Fats — 25–35% of calories from good sources like nuts, avocados, and oils (not too much fried stuff).

• Key Micronutrients (this part is huge for girls!)

  • Iron — We need 15 mg/day (ages 14–18) because of periods, growth, and sweat losses. Low iron makes us tired, weak, and more likely to get anemia. The article says it's super common in female athletes, especially if we don't eat much meat/fish. Foods like eggs, leafy greens, fortified cereals, and lean meat help – and we might need screening!

  • Calcium — 1300 mg/day (ages 9–18) for strong bones (we're building peak bone mass right now!). Dairy, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, and fortified stuff are best.

  • Vitamin D — 600 IU/day to help absorb calcium. If we train indoors a lot, we might be low – milk and sun help.

• Hydration — Drink before, during, and after! Dehydration tanks performance and can cause cramps or heat issues. The article gives tips like 400–600 mL water 2–3 hours before practice, sips every 15–20 minutes during, and rehydrate after with extra fluids (even sports drinks if it's hot/long).

  
  

I used to just grab snacks whenever, but now I try to plan better – like a balanced plate with protein, carbs, and veggies after practice. Since reading this article, I've been focusing more on iron-rich foods (like spinach salads or lean chicken) and calcium stuff (yogurt with fruit). My energy stays up longer during games, I recover faster, and I feel stronger overall. No more dragging through the second half!

If you're a girl playing soccer (or any sport) and feel tired a lot or get weird cramps, check your fuel! Eating right is just as important as training.

Proper nutrition is what fuels her forward!

Link to the article: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3805623/