What you eat and drink leading up to a match, directly affects your performance. Only eat a meal that can be digested before you play. Different foods have different digestive times. (Could be up to 3 hours or more). Suitable pre-game meal foods:

• Fish
• Lean Meats
• Bread
• Cereals
• Salad Sandwiches
• Cooked Vegetables
• Potatoes
• Biscuits
• Dessert

Although a meal high in Protein can help muscles perform more efficiently, you mustn’t eat anything too heavy just prior to your match. Carbohydrates are converted into energy most easily. Include foods with a low glycemic index (GI) so that there is a slower release of energy. High GI foods can result in over production of glucose or insulin (or both) a side effect of which is lethargy, sometimes in under a hour. Fully hydrate before playing. (Clear urine is usually a sign of full hydration).

Fruits and Vegetables (4 servings + daily)

• Apples, oranges, salads, potatoes and corn
• Carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are essential parts of the enzyme systems which metabolise carbohydrates and fats.
• Minerals are essential in the proper functioning of nerves and muscles.

The number of servings listed will only supply essential nutrients and represent a balanced diet.  Extra servings containing extra calories will be required to meet full training needs.
Water

• Two-thirds of body weight is water.
•  The critical chemical reactions for providing muscular energy take place in water.
• Water provides an important function in transporting metabolic by-products to the lungs and kidneys and heat to the surface for dissipation.