This is an area where there can be A LOT of misinformation regarding what is best to help a young competitive athlete better recover from playing their favorite sport. First, understand that when the word “competitive” gets added to any formula, then the optimal strategy must also shift.
Sleep: For a growing child, male or female, 8-10 hours of sleep is what is recommended. For the athlete expending higher outputs of energy, the importance is not in the quantity, rather, the quality of the required sleep. This can be done by removing impulsive distractions (ie. virtual games, phones, etc.) approximately 30-60 minutes prior to bed to allow for the nervous system to naturally down regulate before drifting off to sleep.
Sidenote: Short naps can also be beneficial. Keep them approximately 30-60 mins, and upon awakening take time to rehydrate your athlete accordingly.
Nutrition: For optimal development of a young athlete, nutrient dense foods spread evenly out through the day is essential. For the competitive athlete, the timing of these nutrients can also be important. Place easily digestible foods proximal to before and after the times they perform and/or have slightly more volume of calories on days where more or higher challenging (ie. more time on the field) games are played.
Exercise: The misconception of more is better is where everything goes haywire. The truth is, kids already know how to do more if/when they find something they love to do. For the competitive athlete, improving and increasing their capability through exercise is where more of their committed practice time should be better spent.
In summary, sports today are being played both at a higher caliber and a higher rate than they were just decades ago. The specific sport may run all year and your child may be participating in more than one discipline. If this is the case, then use these tips to help maximize their ability to improve their recovery and performance, so to continue to fully enjoy what they love doing for a lifetime!