Beyond the Pool: The Complete Water Polo Nutrition Guide (Ages 10–15 & Up)

Water polo demands repeat sprints, wrestling strength, and clear decisions under fatigue. Good fueling gives you:

• More repeat power late in quarters

• Sharper focus for reads, passes, and shots

• Faster recovery between games and practices

• Fewer injuries/illness days

This guide is built for ages 10–15 (and scales to older athletes) with portions you can eyeball, timelines you can follow, and food you can actually find.

Not medical advice; if you have allergies or medical conditions, talk with a qualified professional.

The big picture: what to eat (and why)

Carbs = fuel

• Target 4–6 g/kg/day on regular training days; 6–8 g/kg/day on heavy/tournament days.

• Choose grains, fruit, potatoes, rice, pasta, oats, dairy (if tolerated).

Protein = repair

• Target 1.4–1.8 g/kg/day spread over 3–5 meals/snacks.

• Use eggs, dairy, poultry, fish, lean beef, tofu/tempeh, beans + rice, Greek yogurt.

Fats = long energy & hormones

• Aim for ~25–35% of total calories.

• Avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish. Don’t fear healthy fats—especially for growing athletes.

Colors = micronutrients

• Hit 5+ colorful servings/day (fruit/veg) for immunity and recovery.

Hydration: simple math that works

• Baseline: ~30–35 ml/kg/day (outside training).

• During training: 150–250 ml every 10–15 minutes.

• Weigh-in rule: Every 0.5 kg (1 lb) lost = drink ~700 ml (24 oz) over the next 2 hours with sodium.

• Urine check: Pale lemonade color = on track.

Electrolytes: In heat/humidity or tournaments, include 300–600 mg sodium/hour.
DIY sports drink (per 750 ml bottle): 700 ml water + 2–3 tbsp juice + 1 tbsp sugar/honey + small pinch of salt + top with water. Shake.

Timing the fuel: your pre/during/post blueprint

24–12 hours before a game

• Carbs at each meal, normal protein, colorful veggies, hydrate steadily.

• Example dinner: rice bowl + chicken or tofu + veggies; fruit and yogurt.

3–4 hours before

• Balanced meal you know your stomach likes.

• Example: pasta with tomato sauce + lean meat/beans + salad + water.

60–90 minutes before

• Easy-to-digest snack: banana + yogurt; granola bar; PB&J half; rice cake + honey.

15–30 minutes before

• Small sip-based top-up: a few sips of sports drink or half a banana if needed.

During play (if >60–75 minutes total or multiple games)

• Fluids: 150–250 ml every 10–15 min.

• Carbs: 20–40 g/hour (sports drink, gel, banana, chews).

First 60 minutes after

• Refuel: 1.0–1.2 g/kg carbs

• Repair: 0.25–0.35 g/kg protein (~20–30 g for most teens)

• Rehydrate: 150% of weight lost + sodium.

• Fast options: chocolate milk, Greek yogurt + fruit + cereal, smoothie (milk + banana + oats + peanut butter), rice + eggs + fruit.

Sample school-day + practice menu (teen ~60 kg; scale portions up/down)

• Breakfast (7:00): Oatmeal cooked in milk + banana + peanut butter; water.

• Snack (10:00): Apple + string cheese; water.

• Lunch (12:30): Turkey/cheese wrap + carrots + pretzels + fruit cup; water.

• Pre-practice (15:00): Granola bar + yogurt; sports bottle half-filled.

• During practice (16:00–18:00): 750–1000 ml fluid; add electrolytes in heat.

• Post-practice (18:15): Chocolate milk + banana (or smoothie).

• Dinner (19:30): Rice + chicken/tofu + veggies + olive oil; water.

• Optional snack (21:00): Greek yogurt + berries or toast + hummus.

Tournament day blueprint

Night before: Carb-forward dinner + 500–750 ml fluid before bed.
Morning (2–3 hrs pre-warm-up):

• Toast + eggs + fruit or oatmeal + milk + berries; 500 ml water.

60–90 min pre-game:

• Snack: banana + yogurt or PB&J half + water/sports drink sips.

Between games (2–3 hrs):

• If short gap (<90 min): easily digested carbs (banana, applesauce, sports drink, rice cakes + honey).

• If longer gap (2–3 hrs): add light protein and low-fat: turkey sandwich, sushi rice + tuna, rice bowl, yogurt + granola.

After final game:

• Full meal within 60–90 min; hydrate to urine-pale.

Team cooler ideas: bananas, mandarins, applesauce pouches, pretzels, rice cakes, PB/J, low-fat yogurts, chocolate milk, granola bars, tuna packets, string cheese, electrolyte tabs, water jugs.

Vegetarians, lactose-free, & picky eaters

• Protein pairings: beans + rice; hummus + pita; peanut/almond butter + milk (or soy milk); tofu/tempeh; edamame; soy yogurt.

• Lactose-free recovery: lactose-free milk, soy milk, kefir, or whey isolate (often low lactose).

• Iron & B12: include beans, lentils, spinach (with vitamin C foods), fortified cereals; consider supervised supplementation if advised.

Smart supplement stance (youth & teen friendly)

You don’t need supplements to perform. If used, choose Informed Sport/NSF Certified products to reduce contamination risk.

• Creatine monohydrate: helpful for repeated sprints in older teens under coach/parent guidance; typical 3–5 g/day, no loading needed.

• Vitamin D & Omega-3: consider if bloodwork or diet suggests a gap.

• Protein powders: convenience only; whole foods first.

Avoid fat burners, stimulants, or anything with a “proprietary blend.”

Recovery you can feel tomorrow

• Sleep: 8–10 hours for teens.

• Evening snack: protein + carbs (Greek yogurt + cereal; toast + egg).

• Mobility: 5–10 min light stretching or band work post-shower.

• Anti-cramp: steady electrolytes + build leg strength; don’t rely on “quick fixes.”

Travel & restaurant survival guide

Hotel breakfast: eggs + toast + fruit or oatmeal + milk + peanut butter; fill bottles.
On the road: keep a “fuel kit” (zip bag): electrolyte tabs, bars, nut butter packets, rice cakes, tuna, flexible bottle.
Menus to look for: rice bowls, burritos, pasta with tomato, sushi (rice + fish), grilled chicken + potatoes, burgers without heavy sauces (add fruit/side salad).

Simple grocery list (teen athlete starter)

• Carbs: rice, pasta, oats, bread/tortillas, potatoes, cereal, rice cakes, pretzels, fruit (bananas, berries, mandarins), applesauce cups.

• Proteins: eggs, Greek yogurt, milk/lactose-free milk, chicken, turkey, tuna/salmon packets, tofu/tempeh, beans.

• Fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, peanut/almond butter.

• Extras: electrolyte tabs, chocolate milk/cocoa, honey, tomato sauce, frozen veggies.

Red flags of under-fueling

• Mid-practice energy crashes, frequent cramps, brain fog

• Slow recovery, nagging injuries, frequent colds

• Irritability, poor sleep, stalled strength/height gain

Fix with more total carbs, regular protein, and consistent hydration—not by adding stimulants.

Quick recipes (2 minutes or less)

• Recovery smoothie: milk (or soy) + banana + oats + peanut butter + cocoa.

• Egg rice bowl: microwave rice + scrambled eggs + soy sauce + avocado.

• Yogurt “parfait”: Greek yogurt + cereal + berries + honey.

• PB&J upgrade: add banana slices and a sprinkle of oats.

The 10 rules of water polo fueling (print this)

1. Drink early and often; check urine color.

2. Eat carbs at every meal on training days.

3. Get protein 4×/day (including post-practice).

4. 3–4 hrs pre-game: familiar balanced meal.

5. 60–90 min pre: easy snack + sips.

6. During long play: 20–40 g carbs/hour + electrolytes.

7. Post: 1.0–1.2 g/kg carbs + 0.25–0.35 g/kg protein + 150% fluids lost.

8. Pack a fuel kit for school and travel.

9. Prefer simple, known foods on game day.

10. Sleep is your best supplement.

One-week starter plan

• Mon: Pack school fuel kit (bar + fruit + yogurt). Post: chocolate milk + banana.

• Tue: Add 500 ml sports drink to practice if hot/humid.

• Wed: Try a new balanced dinner (rice + protein + veg).

• Thu: Pre-practice snack 60–90 min before; test what sits best.

• Fri: Make a batch of recovery smoothies.

• Sat (game): Follow the game-day timeline.

• Sun: Grocery reset + fill water bottles for Monday.

Final word

Winning quarters come from winning meals, bottles, and bedtimes. Keep it simple, consistent, and athlete-led. Build your fuel kit, run the timelines, and let your legs—and decisions—do the talking.

Want printable checklists, snack lists, and recovery recipes?
Reply “NUTRITION PACK” and I’ll send the PDFs (Game-Day Timeline, Cooler List, Hydration Math, Smoothie Guide, and the 10 Rules poster).