Dr. Jay Williams, Ph. D., is a professor of Exercise Science in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the responses and adaptations of muscle to activity, inactivity and disease. He also has a long history of working with athletes, ranging from kindergarten soccer players to Olympic tracks and field athletes.

For more information on how diet can affect soccer performance, please visit www.soccerteamdiet.com.

In the last article, the case was made that a solid diet can improve performance on the field. Eating a diet high in carbohydrates and low in fat can increase goal-scoring opportunities and improve defending, particularly in the later stages of the match.

Unfortunately, it seems that too few players follow this strategy. Perhaps they don’t understand what makes up a solid diet or how to make the right food selections. Often players and coaches don’t realize what types of foods are included in an athlete’s diet. This may be a first step in helping players improve their diets – understanding what they eat on a daily basis. Is their diet sufficient to insure peak performance?

In terms of the amount of food needed each day, the total calories consumed should match the amount of calories burned. There is little doubt that soccer players expend a lot of energy. And need calories for growth, everyday activities as well as training. Unfortunately, most players don’t eat enough to meet these energy demands. Youth, college-age, males and females all have a caloric deficit of about 15-20 percent. For example, a recent study of NCAA Division I female student athletes showed that only 9 percent eat enough calories to meet their energy needs, 75 percent eat too few carbohydrates, and the majority skip breakfast. Since players don’t seem to lose large amounts of weight during the season, they probably make up for the missing calories on off days, eating high-calorie meals or snacks.

To insure peak performance during training and matches, players should strive for a diet in which 65 percent of the calories come from carbohydrates, less than 25 percent from fat and about 10 percent from protein. Unfortunately, this doesn’t often happen. Surveys show that the diets of most players contain too few carbohydrates and too many fats. Youth and college-age players typically eat diets that are 45-55 percent carbohydrate and 30-35 percent fat. And, much of the carbohydrate content comes from simple sugars, those found in pastries, candy and sugar-sweetened drinks (e.g. soda).

As for vitamins and minerals, few players consume the recommended amounts of vitamins D and E. Folic acid and calcium intakes are often remarkably low. Also, many diets lack zinc, magnesium and vitamin A. These deficiencies can be made up by taking a daily multivitamin. However, vitamin and mineral deficits are markers of a larger problem – a diet that is less than ideal for a young athlete.

Proper hydration is often a problem with young athletes. Many don’t appreciate the importance of hydration and do not drink enough to replenish the fluids lost during the previous day’s event. As a result, they arrive at training in a “hypo-hydrated” state. That is, they are already slightly dehydrated before the training session begins.

As for age, younger players generally have better diets than their teenage counterparts. As players get older and begin taking more responsibility for what they eat, they tend to gravitate towards foods that are high in fat and simple sugars. This is especially true college-age players who eat their meals in the school cafeteria where countless options are available. Those who live off campus have to shop and cook for themselves and many choose convenience options that are often high in fat.

Surveys of player’s diets show that there is considerable room for improvement. Whether eating at home or in a college cafeteria, most players do not make the best food and beverage choices. A lack of total calories, too much fat, not enough carbohydrate, vitamin and mineral deficiencies along with too little fluid intake all describe a typical player’s diet. Why underlies this situation? First, players rarely track what they eat and don’t realize how far they’ve strayed from a solid diet. A quick trip though the drive-through becomes a regular habit. Second, many don’t have the nutritional tools to make proper food choices. When faced with several options, a best guess may not be the correct choice. Finally, some players don’t see the importance of a solid diet and how it can benefit their game. They’ve not made the connection between nutrition and performance.

Coaches cannot assume that players are eating the right foods, in the right amounts or at the right times. Given this, it is important to educate the players (and parents) and stress the importance of a solid diet designed to maximize performance. By helping young athletes understand what types of foods should be eaten along with asking them to think about the choices they are making, we can improve their diets in terms of total calories, the optimal amounts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins as well as vitamins and minerals. There is little doubt that this would improve performance on the field. More importantly, instilling proper nutritional habits early in the player’s life can carry into adulthood and led to a healthy lifestyle.