Wellness on the road: tournament edition

Tournament weekends can be so fun… and also completely exhausting.

Early mornings, late nights, restaurant meals, hotel living, overstimulation, rushed schedules, sugar everywhere, and somehow everyone’s nervous system is running on fries and caffeine by Sunday afternoon.

A few things that can genuinely help:

• Prioritize sleep as much as possible

Not because you need to be “perfect,” but because everything feels harder when you’re depleted.

Mood, patience, cravings, recovery, stress tolerance, emotional regulation… all of it.

• Don’t underestimate recovery

Hydration.

Protein.

Fresh air.

A few quiet moments.

Your body notices all of it.

• Stock the hotel room with a few grounding staples

Think simple, easy foods:

Greek yogurt

fruit

protein bars

nuts

sandwich supplies

electrolytes

cut vegetables

oatmeal cups

Not to restrict the fun stuff, just to avoid the “we haven’t eaten a real meal in 11 hours and now everyone feels terrible” spiral.

• Navigate the breakfast buffet like a rational human

You do not need to build the world’s healthiest plate at the Hampton Inn continental breakfast.

Aim for:

✔ protein

✔ fibre when possible

✔ enough food to actually keep you going

Eggs, yogurt, fruit, toast, oatmeal, sausage, peanut butter… good enough is absolutely good enough.

• Try to walk once a day

Not for calorie burning.

For sanity.

Fresh air, movement, digestion, nervous system support, stress relief, emotional reset. A short walk can completely shift the tone of the day.

And maybe my most honest observation after 10 years of experiencing and observing tournament weekends unfold:

Remember this is supposed to be about the kids.

A few drinks? Completely your call.

But if Sunday morning turns into snapping at your family, feeling awful, running on fumes, and barely surviving the next day’s game, it might be worth asking whether your body actually enjoyed the experience… or if the weekend slowly turned into hotel lobby drinks, late nights, and trying to survive a 7am game on three hours of sleep.

No judgment.

Just awareness.

Trust me, I’ve been there 😅

Tournament weekends do not require perfection.

But a little intentional support can make the whole experience feel a lot better for everyone involved.