Reflecting on my initial experience conducting hydration testing with the Athenry Junior A football team offers significant insights, particularly around logistical planning, participant engagement, and educational strategies.

The session started with a hydration workshop which was effective in providing essential knowledge about the importance of hydration for sports performance. The use of a pen refractometer allowed for quick testing of the samples, completing the analysis of nine samples within 20 minutes. This tool was effective in gathering hydration data efficiently. However, the physical setup was less than ideal due to a lack of appropriate space, with only a stool and a chair available, making it difficult to manage equipment and record results effectively. Many players were hesitant and embarrassed about providing urine samples. This affected participation, as not all players were willing to provide samples. The absence of active encouragement from the team manager likely contributed to this hesitancy. The results were somewhat surprising, particularly with one sample being just water, suggesting that this one player either misunderstood the instructions or was too embarrassed to provide a real urine sample. The majority showed normal hydration levels with two players were dehydrated. I felt uncomfortable when the coach requested the names of the players that were dehydrated while I was on the pitch during the training session. In future sessions, I would set up a more private and comfortable area for both the collection and analysis of samples. This would help reduce player embarrassment and increase participation. I would arrange to speak directly with players about their results instead of going through the coach. This direct feedback could promote a better understanding and personal accountability for their hydration practices. Organizing the session was more challenging than anticipated due to the need to manage both educational and testing components in a limited time. Ideally, the workshop would have been more impactful if conducted after the results were available, to directly address the findings and tailor the education to specific needs. However, this was not feasible as the team finishes their training late at night, and players were not willing to stay later for an additional session.

This first testing session was a learning curve that emphasized the importance of proper setup, privacy, and direct communication. It also underscored the potential impact of having a supportive team manager in facilitating such interventions and the value of building strong, trustful relationships between the nutritionist and team members. Moving forward, these insights will guide improvements in logistics, privacy during sample collection, and direct engagement with players to enhance their understanding and comfort with the process.