A coach recently asked me this question: I have a few players who seem to do well at the beginning of practice but tire out early before the rest of the team. What can I do?

The good news is that there are several strategies a coach can take to solve the issue.

For starters, whether it’s a practice or a game, what your players eat beforehand makes a tremendous difference in their stamina. Sugary drinks, snacks and highly processed carbs will spike their blood sugar and then send it crashing, along with their energy, toward the end of practice.

Communicate to the parents the importance of their children eating natural foods such as fruit, nuts and whole grains – ideally one hour before a practice or game. Try smothering an apple in peanut butter. Eating right is one of the most powerful ways to give athletes long-lasting energy.

Dehydration can tire out athletes faster than wind sprints. Kids need to drink water before they get thirsty. During practices, it’s OK to give them sports drinks, but make sure they are hydrating enough to keep their hydration levels up.

Coaches should allocate time purely for stamina building. Kids have amazing energy at that age and can be encouraged to improve it. Bear crawls, lunges and push-ups are all excellent for young athletes and will pay off come game time. Football, especially at the youth level, is ultimately a game of conditioning, both physical and mental.

Try shorter periods of physical exertion but add in a warm-up, cool down and time at the end for work on their mental game and strategy. Shorter and more intense is better for that age.

Finally, some kids have a tendency to get really fired up at the beginning of the game, especially in football where that’s expected. Coaches should take note of which kids flame out early and make it a point to “pace” their energy and manage them like a long-distance runner.

Craig Sigl’s work with youth athletes has been featured on NBC and ESPN. Get his free ebook: “The 10 Commandments For a Great Sports Parent” and also a free training and mp3-guided visualization to help young athletes perform under pressure by visiting: http://MentalToughnessTrainer.com