The Ultimate Tournament & Showcase Performance Guide

How to Prepare. How to Perform. How to Recover. How to Be Remembered.

Tournaments and showcases are exciting. They’re high stakes. They can also be exhausting physically, mentally, and emotionally.

And here’s the reality I see all the time as an athletic trainer and performance coach: Most athletes don’t underperform because of talent…

They underperform because they’re under-fueled, under-recovered, and under-prepared.

This guide is for parents and athletes who want to walk into every tournament or showcase confident, energized, focused, and physically ready to perform at their best.

1. Fuel Like an Athlete (Not Like It’s Just Another Weekend)

Tournament performance starts 24–48 hours before the first game.

✅ 48–24 Hours Before:

Focus on:

• Carbohydrates for energy storage

• Lean protein for muscle support

• Hydration for performance and recovery

Goal: Top off muscle glycogen (your body’s main fuel for sprinting, jumping, and cutting).

Great pre-tournament meals:

• Grilled chicken, rice, and vegetables

• Turkey sandwich + fruit + pretzels

• Pasta with lean protein and light sauce

• Greek yogurt, granola, and berries

✅ Game Day Fueling:

Eat 2–3 hours before first game:

• Oatmeal with banana & honey

• Egg sandwich + fruit

• Yogurt + granola + berries

Between games/snacks:

• PB&J sandwich

• Bananas

• Protein bar (not candy bar)

• Applesauce pouches

• Pretzels or crackers

💡 Avoid: giant meals between games, fast food, and excessive sugar-caffeine spikes.

✅ Best Option: Prepare Meals Ahead of Time

If you want your athlete feeling their best, meal prep is a game changer.

Great travel-friendly options:

• Chicken and rice bowls

• Pasta salad with lean protein

• Wraps with turkey or grilled chicken

• Hard-boiled eggs + fruit

• Yogurt cups + granola

• Overnight oats

• Cut fruit + peanut butter

• Trail mix with nuts and dried fruit

Having food ready prevents last-minute fast food decisions based on convenience and stress.

✅ When You Do Eat Out: Best Performance-Friendly Choices

Life happens. Tournaments are busy. Eating out is sometimes unavoidable.The key is choosing smart, not perfect.

Here are better performance-focused options:

Fast Food Choices:

• Chick-fil-A: Grilled nuggets, grilled chicken sandwich, fruit cup, kale crunch

• Chipotle: Chicken/rice bowl with beans, mild salsa, cheese, and veggies

• Panera: Turkey or chicken sandwich on whole grain + fruit cup

• Subway: Turkey, chicken, or roast beef on whole grain with veggies

• Jimmy John’s: Turkey or chicken sub, add avocado

• Wendy’s: Grilled chicken sandwich, baked potato, apple slices

• McDonald’s: Egg McMuffin + fruit + yogurt parfait (better breakfast choice)

2. Hydration = Performance

Even 1–2% dehydration can decrease speed, endurance, and decision-making.

Start hydrating the day before your tournament.

Simple Hydration Plan:

• The day before: Water with every meal + 1 electrolyte drink

• Morning of: 16–20 oz water

• During games: Sip every 10–15 mins

• Hot tournaments: Add electrolytes (sodium is important for cramps & performance)

Hydration check: Urine should be light yellow, not dark.

3. Warm-Up Like a Pro

Most athletes do this wrong.

A real athletic warm-up should:

• Increase body temp

• Activate key muscles

• 
  

• Prep for speed and power

• Reinforce good mechanics

10–15 minute warm-up checklist:

• Light jog or skips

• High knees, butt kicks, lateral shuffles

• Glute bridges

• Single-leg RDLs

• Band walks

• Jump & landing mechanics

• Short sprints or reaction drills

👉 The goal is ready, not tired. Not sweaty and dead before the first whistle.

4. Recover Between Games

You don’t just “rest.” You actively recover.

Between Games:

• Light walking instead of sitting the whole time

• Stretch tight areas (calves, hips, hip flexors)

• Foam roll when possible

• Eat small recovery snack

• Change sweaty socks/shirt if possible

Recovery Snack Idea:

Carbs + protein within 45–60 minutes:

• Chocolate milk

• Protein bar + banana

• Turkey sandwich

• Greek yogurt + fruit

This helps refill energy and repair muscles.

5. Sleep Is Your Superpower

If your athlete is sleeping only 5–6 hours during tournaments or showcases…

They are already behind.

Sleep impacts:

• Reaction time

• Injury risk

• Hormone recovery

• Focus & decision-making

Tournament Sleep Tips:

• Aim for 8–9 hours minimum

• Put phone away 45 minutes before bed

• Stretch or do breathing exercises

• Keep the same sleep schedule for multiple days

• Dark cool room

⚠ Lack of sleep increases injury risk AND decreases performance especially in multi-day tournaments.

6. Mindset: Play Free, Not Tight

Showcases and big tournaments can make athletes play scared instead of confident.

Here’s what I teach my athletes:

Don’t focus on being perfect. Focus on effort, energy, and response.

✅ Have a simple pre-game routine

✅ Pick 1–2 performance cues: “Fast first step”, “Stay low”, “Aggressive defense”

✅ Control what you can:

• Body language

• Effort

• Focus

• Response to mistakes

Because the athletes who stand out aren’t perfect, they’re composed, resilient, and consistent.

7. How to Connect with College Coaches the Right Way

This is where many families get nervous.

Here’s what coaches REALLY notice:

Before the Event:

• Reach out via email or DM

• Introduce yourself

• Share schedule, jersey number, and field/court number

• Include highlight video link

During the Event:

• Hustle on and off the field

• Body language matters

• Eye contact

• How you treat teammates

• Effort when you’re tired, losing, or being subbed out.

Coaches recruit: Character. Work ethic. Coachability.

Not just talent.

After the Event:

Follow up: “Coach, thank you for taking the time to watch me compete this weekend. Here is my updated highlight film and upcoming schedule.”

Simple. Professional. Confident.

8. How Earn the Edge Helps Athletes Show Up Ready

At Earn the Edge Performance, we prepare athletes for tournaments and showcases by training what actually matters:

✅ Speed & power

✅ Deceleration and landing control

✅ Game conditioning

✅ Movement efficiency

✅ Recovery strategies

✅ Mental performance

✅ Fueling and hydration education

We don’t just help athletes get stronger. We help them perform when it matters most.

Ready to Help Your Athlete Show Up Different?

If your athlete wants to:

✔ Perform at their best

✔ Stand out to college coaches

✔ Reduce injury risk

✔ Recover faster

✔ Build long-term resilience

📩 Message me or connect with Earn the Edge Performance. Let’s build athletes who are confident, prepared, and built to last, not just tired and surviving weekend after weekend.

Because true performance isn’t luck. It’s preparation