4. Get the coach on board. The coach needs to be a champion for the cause, too. Before the first practice, express your concerns and actionable ideas. A good coach wants the best for the team, too.

5. Make hydration a priority. Water and recovery drinks are important to the success of your child athlete. Proper hydration is as important during the game as it is before and after. Seventy percent of athletes arrive to games dehydrated - and that's before they've run a single lap! Discuss how important it is to be properly hydrated, how it affects muscle memory, is critical to thinking and endurance, and how it can avoid serious health problems. Make sure there is plenty of water available leading up to the big game, all the way through to the car ride home.