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Utah's Foremost Platform for Undergraduate Research Presentation
2015 Abstracts

Hydration Status of Division I Collegiate Football P layers during Summer T wo-a-day Training

Trey Esplin, Alathia Burnside, Sean Madill, Marquelle Funk, Sean Kiesel, Kaisey Margetts,
Kylee Nichols, Teal Palmer, Liz Pearce, Jacey Stucker, and Jonathan Conley, Southern Utah University

Health

Mild to moderate dehydration of two percent can result in both physical and mental impairments in athletes. The purpose of this study was to identify the hydration status of Division I college football players at Southern Utah University during their summer two-a- day training. Players indicated in a survey that hydration is very important to their performance on the field, and 52.5 % believe they drink enough fluid to be well hydrated. Voids were collected and urine specific gravity (USG) recorded both before and after the morning and afternoon training sessions, and again the following morning. This enabled researchers to identify the hydration status players began practice with, whether they were able to maintain that status during practice, and whether they took the opportunity to rehydrate after practice. Changes in hydration status were determined using USG measured with a hand-held digital refractometer. Using team averages, initial measurements indicated that athletes came to practice and left practice significantly dehydrated, rehydrated to a level of minimal dehydration maintained through afternoon practice, and then began practice the next day even more significantly dehydrated than on day one. After additional recruitment and inadvertent education, hydration status improved, yet players were only minimally dehydrated during both training sessions and maintained that status the next morning. Although hydration status improved in response to education, increased awareness, and third party encouragement; players were never adequately hydrated.