Did he eat enough after the game?
This is the question that shows up on the drive home, right after your player says they're not hungry. Here's the thing: after hard effort, hunger is a bad guide to what a growing body actually needs.
Why they're not hungry
Hard effort and heat both switch off hunger for a while. A player can finish ninety minutes genuinely not wanting food and still need it. That's why the clock is a better cue than appetite.
The hour that matters
Get something in within about an hour of the final whistle, then a full meal once you're home. If solid food sounds awful to them, the first thing can be a drink.
Easy things that travel
Keep the car stocked and the decision makes itself.
- Chocolate milk or a fruit smoothie
- A sandwich you made before you left
- Fruit, pretzels or a yogurt pouch
How to tell it worked
Look at tomorrow, not tonight. Steady energy at school and a normal appetite at breakfast are the signs worth watching.
AthFuelPath puts the recovery window on the schedule with the game, so it's there before the whistle even goes.
Sort this one for good.
Set it up once. The app answers it every week, for every session on their schedule.