How To Ensure That Players Get Adequate Fluids While Playing Sports     Here are the key points to keep in mind in making sure players get adequate fluids while playing sports:   Players should drink before, during and after sports. To prevent dehydration, or, worse yet, heat illness, you should encourage your child to drink cool fluids before, during, and after physical activity. Players should drink on a schedule, not when thirsty. Players  need to regulate fluid intake by drinking according to a schedule, rather than in response to thirst, because thirst is not an accurate measure of a Players need for fluid. By the time your Players says he/she is thirsty, he/she is already dehydrated. Consuming cool fluids at regular intervals during exercise protects your Players health and optimizes athletic performance.* Players should drink from their own water bottles. Players should have their own personalized water bottles and need to be reminded to drink 5 to 9 ounces (10 to 18 1/2 ounce "gulps") every 20 minutes during activity, depending on weight (Teenagers should drink more).  Players fluid intake needs to be supervised. Players do not instinctively drink enough fluids to replace water losses, so it is essential that you watch to see how much water they actually drink.