The Fuel

For everyone who has played any kind of sport from pee-wees to college athletics knows that you have to constantly stay in shape and work out. But as you progress from little league to high school, to college, you realize sleep and food are the two main keys to having success and to help you achieve peak performance.
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html

Sometimes we all get caught up with practice and weight training, we forget to watch what we eat at times and that can be costly to your development as a player. The wear and tear athletes put on their can be overwhelming at times, which makes nutrition all the more important, not only because you need carbs and calories, but also eating healthy can prevent injury or in some cases help in the recovery process.  Your body is your temple and if the temple is not maintained it will fall apart and start to work against you, which no athlete wants at all. During workouts and training sesions it is important to get the proper hydration to keep the muscles from cramping and running out of gas on you, which is not a good feeling at all and I am speaking from experience on that. More importantly though your body needs to be in top shape at the beginning of the season and what you do and put into your body in the months leading up to the season, will give you the proper preparation to endure a long, hard and grueling campaign. From my experience going through a whole football season is absolutely hell on the body regardless of who you are, I swear I felt like my body was just going to fall into a million pieces and that is with all of the off season work I put in prior to the season. That goes to show people that student athletes endure a constant battle with themselves on and off the field and I say that because when the season starts, they have to deal with the bumps and bruises all while making it to class as well. Sometimes limping to class is the case, but its a skill developed playing sports all of your life.  All the more reason why food and nutrition are vital to the success on the field but as you found out, also to make it through the day as well. Protein shakes, fruit and vegetables are an athletes best friend even though sometimes its nice to stray away and indulge in some junk food once in a while, discipline comes into play to stay focus and not eat that greasy burger or french fry and keep the eyes on the prize.