Most team snacks are a drink, a chip and something sweet. A good one does four jobs: carbohydrate, protein, healthy fat, and hydration with a dash of sodium when the day calls for it. Here's what the bag is missing, what to buy, how to keep the cost down, and the one change that sticks all season.

Is your athlete already dehydrated before preseason practice even starts? For most, yes — about 76% are dehydrated in the morning and 66% stay that way all day. That costs roughly 8.3% of muscle endurance, 5.8% of power, and 5.5% of strength before the first whistle. Here's the simple fluid and sodium plan that fixes it, what to do on two-a-days, why cramping happens, and the lineman who added 90 pounds to his bench in five months.