Hydration
Hockey is a skilful game characterised by moderate intensity exercise, interspersed with high-intensity efforts and effective decision-making (1). Due to the nature of the sport, sweat rates can be very high, with an increased risk for goalkeepers who wear more clothing (5). Dehydration of more than 2% body weight has the potential to reduce cognitive output and aerobic performance, while a loss of 3 – 5% can negatively affect performance of high-intensity activity and sport-specific skills.
Essentially, dehydration puts the body under increased stress, which negatively affects physiological responses to exercise, and increases perceived exertion (6). Specifically in hockey, dehydration can negatively impact (1):
- Shooting accuracy
- Speed
- Agility
- Concentration
- Coordination
To counteract these effects, athletes can (1):
- Have a sports dietician determine their individual sweat loss and hydration plan
- Drink fluid before, during and after training sessions/matches
- Drink isotonic sports drinks during matches as they provide carbohydrates, fluid and electrolytes
- Note: athletes may need additional prompting to replace fluids on cold days, as they may not perceive a need to drink
High Performance Field Hockey 