Energy is something judges and crowds actually notice. USASF’s all-star scoring has a performance category that looks for high energy, entertainment value, confidence and showmanship. Game days can mean hours in the sun, and competition days mean waiting around and then going full out for a short routine. This guide covers what helps you keep your energy up on performance days: fueling, hydration, sleep, heat safety, stamina training and how to perform when you’re tired.

This is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you’re often exhausted, dizzy or losing weight, talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian.

Why Energy Drops on Performance Days

• Not eating enough, or at the wrong time. MedlinePlus says you’re more likely to be tired and perform poorly when you don’t get enough calories, carbohydrates, fluids, iron and other nutrients, or protein.
• Not drinking enough, especially outdoors or in a hot gym.
• Short sleep the night before, often after travel or a late practice.
• Heat. Sideline cheer often happens outside in hot weather.
• Too much training without rest, which can lead to overtraining and burnout.
• Stamina that hasn’t been built up to perform the whole routine or game full out.

Fuel: What and When to Eat

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) offers this timing for young athletes who are active for longer sessions:

• 3-4 hours before: a small meal that’s mostly carbohydrate with a moderate amount of protein, low in fat and fiber so it doesn’t upset your stomach.
• During long events: keep simple snacks on hand. The AAP suggests fruit and a protein or nut bar, and says snacks that pair a carb with a protein, such as crackers with peanut butter, are good options.
• Within 30-60 minutes after: replace fluids and refuel with a snack rich in carbohydrates and protein. The AAP names chocolate milk as an example of a recovery drink.
• Busy days: the AAP says athletes need more energy during unusually active times such as tryouts and tournaments, and families should plan extra food for them.

MedlinePlus adds that you shouldn’t exercise on an empty stomach, that fats take longer to digest (so leave 3-4 hours after a full meal before exercising), and that fried or high-fat foods are harder to digest.

The AAP also warns that pressure to look a certain way in cheer can lead some athletes to eat too little, which can affect bone strength and menstrual health. Eating enough is part of performing well.

Hydration

• Start hydrated. The AAP suggests drinking water in the hours before exercise and a little more right before you start.
• Sip during activity. The AAP suggests small amounts of fluid about every 15 minutes during exercise.
• Water is enough for most sessions. For activities under an hour, water is sufficient, according to the AAP. Sports drinks can help for activities lasting longer than 1-2 hours or in very hot conditions.
• Skip energy drinks. The AAP says energy drinks, which contain caffeine and excess sugar, are not recommended for young athletes. They’re very different from sports drinks.
• Bring your own bottle to every game, practice and competition, with a backup.

Heat Safety on the Sideline

Outdoor games in hot weather are where tiredness can turn into something serious. The AAP lists these warning signs of heat exhaustion: muscle cramps, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, heavy sweating or cold, clammy skin, drowsiness and confusion, and loss of coordination. If you notice them, stop and tell an adult right away. Heat stroke is a medical emergency.

• Get used to the heat gradually. The AAP suggests increasing outdoor activity over 7 to 14 days at the start of a season or when traveling somewhere warmer.
• Take shade and water breaks, and use chilled water bottles.
• Watch your teammates for signs of heat stress, too.
• Don’t let pressure keep you going. The AAP says missed games are never worth risking your health.

Varsity’s camp advice makes the same point for summer: if you practice in an air-conditioned gym all summer and your camp is outside, spend time cheering outdoors beforehand to get used to it.

Sleep

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends 8 to 10 hours of sleep for teens aged 13 to 18, and 9 to 12 hours for children aged 6 to 12. The AAP supports these guidelines. The AAP also recommends turning off screens at least an hour before bed. Before a competition, protect your sleep for several nights, not just the night before.

Rest Days

The AAP says overtraining and burnout can leave a young athlete feeling physically or mentally exhausted. Its advice for young athletes is to plan 1 to 2 days of rest every week and at least 2-3 months off from a sport during the year, which can be split into 1-month blocks. It also gives a general rule that kids shouldn’t train more hours each week than their age.

Build Stamina for Full-Out Routines

• Run it full out, more than once. Full-out run-throughs build the endurance you need to finish strong. Add them gradually.
• Train in intervals. Cheer is short bursts with breaks, so sprints, shuttle runs and circuits with short rests make sense.
• Build strength. USA Cheer’s college rules say all cheer squads should adopt a comprehensive conditioning and strength program.
• Do conditioning after skill work, so you’re not learning new stunts or tumbling when you’re tired.

See our home conditioning workout, strength training guide and tryout fitness self-check.

Performing When You’re Tired

• Warm up before you go on. A proper warm-up gets you ready to go full out. Try our warm-up routine.
• Save energy while you wait. On competition days, sit, stay out of the sun, eat and drink, then warm up again before you perform.
• Use your face and voice. Facials, eye contact and a loud voice make energy visible, even late in a game.
• Act like you expected to hit. One judge quoted by Varsity said that when you hit, you should act as if you expected to.
• Have fun. Another judge in the same article said it’s a blast to watch a squad having a great time, and that it translates into points.
• Break the game into pieces. Focus on the next timeout, quarter or cheer, not the whole night.

When Tiredness Isn’t Normal

Feeling tired after a big week is normal. See a doctor if you’re tired all the time even with good sleep, keep feeling dizzy or faint, notice your performance dropping for weeks, or feel low and no longer enjoy cheer. MedlinePlus notes that iron deficiency can affect muscle function and performance, and suggests talking with a health care provider about testing, especially for female and vegetarian athletes.

Game Day Energy Checklist

• Got the recommended sleep for your age for several nights before.
• Ate a meal 3-4 hours before and packed snacks.
• Water bottle and a backup packed.
• Know the heat forecast and the warning signs of heat illness.
• Warmed up before going on.
• Recovery snack ready for afterward.

For recovery after a hard day, see our guide to reducing soreness after practice. For managing a whole season, see our cheer season guide.

Sources: US All Star Federation, Cheer Scoring System; American Academy of Pediatrics, Sports Nutrition for Busy Families, Keeping Young Athletes Safe in Hot Weather, Burnout in Young Athletes, Healthy Sleep Habits and Cheerleading Safety; American Academy of Sleep Medicine, How Much Sleep Do Children Need?; MedlinePlus, Nutrition and Athletic Performance; USA Cheer, 2026-27 College Cheer Rules; Varsity, Tips from the Judges and Dos and Don’ts of Safety. Last checked October 1, 2026.