How to get kids used to playing in the heat?

[Anonymous]

Something that has helped my kid is lots of water the day before the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to a sand soccer tournament, and the kids that did the best in the afternoon sun and heat, (i.e. still running for the ball, vs just shuffling about w no energy) were the kids who ate a hearty breakfast.

We have 1 girl, who usually is not a fast runner, or who runs a lot during normal games. She was the only one with energy left for the afternoon hot matches. Her dad said she ate a full breakfast, pancakes, eggs and bacon. -Seems to have helped her to power through the heat vs kids who just at pancakes.

That’s exactly the kind of breakfast my serious athlete would never eat prior to a game unless we’re talking about eating at 7 and playing at noon. It makes him feel heavy and weighted down. He definitely avoids anything greasy like bacon. He focuses instead on complex carbs. If it’s just before a game, he eats really light. Then he eats protein after.

[Anonymous]

Mommy dearest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to a sand soccer tournament, and the kids that did the best in the afternoon sun and heat, (i.e. still running for the ball, vs just shuffling about w no energy) were the kids who ate a hearty breakfast.

We have 1 girl, who usually is not a fast runner, or who runs a lot during normal games. She was the only one with energy left for the afternoon hot matches. Her dad said she ate a full breakfast, pancakes, eggs and bacon. -Seems to have helped her to power through the heat vs kids who just at pancakes.

That’s exactly the kind of breakfast my serious athlete would never eat prior to a game unless we’re talking about eating at 7 and playing at noon. It makes him feel heavy and weighted down. He definitely avoids anything greasy like bacon. He focuses instead on complex carbs. If it’s just before a game, he eats really light. Then he eats protein after.

agree on that big time!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something that has helped my kid is lots of water the day before the game.

This. You have to increase water intake days leading up to the game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Seems like she's not cut out for soccer.

Op - it’s her main sport. She plays 10 months a year for a travel team.

Should she try and sauna? Just get in better shape and run outside in the heat?

Is she out of shape?

Op - she plays soccer 5-6 days a week. In the winters she does 2 days a week of soccer and 2 days a week of basketball. In the summer she swims all summer. So I don’t think she is out of shape. But probably could use help in her running conditioning. She has never went out and just run 5 miles or anything.

You are going to make her hate this sport. Just stop. It's too hot for anyone to be outside and running around. Why do you think they have indoor recess when it's this hot?!

Op - I asked her yesterday after the hot games and she said she still loves soccer. I want her to be able to continue to play the sport she loves. I just think she needs to put more time into conditioning in the heat.

I also wonder how hard we should be pushing our 9-10 year olds in the heat. Based on responses here it seems like she should be able to handle the heat if she wants to keep playing soccer.

OP I find this very creepy. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real. You should be thinking about how to keep your daughter from getting sick, not about how to get her to play harder in the heat. People handle heat differently- there is no “should.” Please let her go at her own pace and consider encouraging an indoor sport.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t. If you are already doing what you say, she might just be heat intolerant and you want her to learn to listen to her body. Every body is different. There are also some medicines or medical conditions that can play a role. My niece was the kid who was high energy until it got hot. Then she’d literally wilt. It started as a really young child when most kids are oblivious to heat and she remains that way as a college student. Swimming ended up being a good sport for her. DS began struggling with heat when his doctor prescribed an SSRI. He was a very dedicated year round soccer player and it was unbearable. I had no idea until I read an article about the med and heat intolerance. He changed meds and is now doing well. Just something to consider if she takes any meds.

Op - she isn’t on any medications.

She plays and runs but just cannot be in the 90+ degree heat for 8+ hours. Her coaches want her to figure out how to push through since this is typical weather for VA in the beginning and end of soccer season.

Ffs OP!!!! Get your head on straight. What is wrong with you?

[Anonymous]

Knew these lunatics would be jumping to heat exhaustion and saying to quite, etc.

OP - Yes, have her get used to being in the heat more. It doesn't even have to be soccer. Riding bikes with friends. Being at the pool. playing some unstructured soccer with her friends at her own pace. etc etc. Not everyone is naturally a summer person. Just have her get used to it. I do agree that I would "push her" into anything, I would just encourage her to be active in the heat when she can to get used to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Knew these lunatics would be jumping to heat exhaustion and saying to quite, etc.

OP - Yes, have her get used to being in the heat more. It doesn't even have to be soccer. Riding bikes with friends. Being at the pool. playing some unstructured soccer with her friends at her own pace. etc etc. Not everyone is naturally a summer person. Just have her get used to it. I do agree that I would "push her" into anything, I would just encourage her to be active in the heat when she can to get used to it.

Well what a common sense approach, why did you ask this nutty forum in the first place for. Still waiting for that over the top parent to suggest pregame fluid IVs to dominate the other 9 year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to a sand soccer tournament, and the kids that did the best in the afternoon sun and heat, (i.e. still running for the ball, vs just shuffling about w no energy) were the kids who ate a hearty breakfast.

We have 1 girl, who usually is not a fast runner, or who runs a lot during normal games. She was the only one with energy left for the afternoon hot matches. Her dad said she ate a full breakfast, pancakes, eggs and bacon. -Seems to have helped her to power through the heat vs kids who just at pancakes.

That’s exactly the kind of breakfast my serious athlete would never eat prior to a game unless we’re talking about eating at 7 and playing at noon. It makes him feel heavy and weighted down. He definitely avoids anything greasy like bacon. He focuses instead on complex carbs. If it’s just before a game, he eats really light. Then he eats protein after.

Yes, they ate breakfast at 8 am and had sand soccer games all day. That kid was head and shoulders more energetic than everyone else.

[Anonymous]

If she otherwise spends all her time indoors, then she has to get used to outside temperatures. What temp do you keep your house at?

Can she just dunk her head periodically? Some people are more susceptible to heat. And if she has undetected thyroid issues, that can also make her more susceptible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You don’t. If you are already doing what you say, she might just be heat intolerant and you want her to learn to listen to her body. Every body is different. There are also some medicines or medical conditions that can play a role. My niece was the kid who was high energy until it got hot. Then she’d literally wilt. It started as a really young child when most kids are oblivious to heat and she remains that way as a college student. Swimming ended up being a good sport for her. DS began struggling with heat when his doctor prescribed an SSRI. He was a very dedicated year round soccer player and it was unbearable. I had no idea until I read an article about the med and heat intolerance. He changed meds and is now doing well. Just something to consider if she takes any meds.

Op - she isn’t on any medications.

She plays and runs but just cannot be in the 90+ degree heat for 8+ hours. Her coaches want her to figure out how to push through since this is typical weather for VA in the beginning and end of soccer season.

She shouldn’t be running in the heat for 8+ hours. She would have, what, two games in a day for a tournament? Maybe three at worst? Get her in air conditioning in between - even if it is driving around or something.

The teams that play at the higher levels are not the kids running around outside in between games.

Add those neck fans and cooling towels for halftime and when she is on the bench. And obviously nutrition/hydration are important as you’ve acknowledged.

That’s what you can do. The rest is really down to whether she isn’t performing because there is an underlying problem that you’ve fixed through nutrition/hydration/cooling practices or it’s that she likes the sport but not enough to push herself in undesirable conditions. If it’s the latter - that’s totally fine. Not every kid needs to be on a crazy track. But if that’s her, you should adjust your expectations accordingly so that you aren’t pushing her into something she doesn’t want to do because that doesn’t end well.

[Anonymous]

OP, deal with it. My 16 year old is the same, does not show well in heat. She wears shorts all winter, even if it’s 15 degrees out. Some kids are made like that. Yeah, it’s not awesome for soccer but there is only so much you can do.

[Anonymous]

OP, you need to parent the kid you have. You sound like you’re trying to have one of those Instagram famous little kid soccer players and are worried that her current performance in the heat is going to derail her career or something. Stop getting sucked into it and meet your kid where they are at in terms of their tolerance and desire to play hard in the heat. It’s going to be hot all summer, just try to do some stuff outside and see how she responds without pushing it. You should not care more than your kid cares.

[Anonymous]

People are born with different natural tolerances to heat. Its not something you "fix".