Youth Athletes and Nutrition

At an all-star football camp chronicled in a recent CNNSI article, EAS pro sports coordinator Kelley Spence said:

“It’s amazing to see and to hear athletes who have no idea about nutrition,” Spence said. “We preach whole food nutrition before we talk about supplementation.”

Today’s youth athlete differs from generations ago. We expect players to play and train year-round. However, despite this professionalized training schedule, we maintain an amateur approach to the training, and athletes lack proper periodization, recovery and nutrition.

Spence said before they ever worry about supplement bars or shakes, young athletes should try to eat five to six smaller meals a day loaded with protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats. That way, Spence said, they’ll get the most out of their workouts. “We know that they’re busy, and they’re not going to eat perfect,” Spence said. “But making better food choices is going to be key.”