You’ve spent your entire hockey season preparing to peak in time for the playoffs. The last thing you want to do waste all the hard work you put in on the ice by not taking proper care of your playoff nutrition off the ice.

During the playoffs, it is easy to forget about the huge effect nutrition can have on your on-ice performance. What you eat and drink before, during and after the game can completely transform how you play that day and how you recover in time for the next game.

The bottom line is that you need to: Be Prepared.

Here are 2 quick tips on proper nutrition for playoff performance:

1) Drink More Water:
Most girls hockey players don’t drink enough water before, during or after the game. Even the slightest level of dehydration can have a dramatic effect on your ability to think clearly and play your best. The general rule of thumb is to drink water consistently throughout the game – I typically recommend that players take 2 to 3 sips of water after every shift. Don’t wait until you are so thirsty that you need to chug down half the water bottle. That’s when you run into trouble with cramps. Be consistent throughout the game and remember to continue drinking after the game is over. I usually recommend that players drink as much water in the first hour after the game as they drank during the game. If you are playing 12 to 20 minute periods, you should finish an entire water bottle during the game, and so you should have another water bottle in the hour after the game.

2) Have “Emergency Energy” On-Hand:
During regular season games, I generally don’t recommend that players eat any food or consume any sports drinks between shifts or between periods. Typically, in girls hockey, the games are not long enough or intense enough to necessitate taking in any sugar to keep energy stores high. However, the playoffs are different. Players may need an extra boost of energy in between periods because of the intensity of play and the frequency of games. Just in case you feel like you need an extra energy boost, make sure that you have “emergency energy” on hand. You might bring some grapes, a banana, a granola bar or some fruit juice with you to the rink so that you have some simple sugars at the ready if you feel like your energy is getting low. There is nothing worse than trying to play when you feel like you tank is on empty, so be prepared by having some quick energy options with you.

Give yourself every opportunity to perform your best in the playoffs by taking a few extra minutes before your next game to address your post-season nutrition plan.

Work Hard, Dream BIG, and Good Luck.

~ Coach Kim

PS – For more hockey playoff performance strategies, click here to download your FREE Total Female Hockey “Playoff Survival Guide”.