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The Warm up
Under the lights: upsets, teen champions, and title races
Michigan pulled off one of the biggest wins in program history, beating then-No. 2 UConn 77-66, and the Wolverines climbed to No. 2 in the women's AP poll, the highest ranking they have ever had. JuJu Watkins is back for USC, too, scoring 21 points in her return after 588 days away and 32 points with 16 rebounds in her second game. The Trojans are 3-0 and visit No. 1 South Carolina on Sunday. In golf, 19-year-old Blades Brown came back from seven shots down with a final-round 63 and won in a playoff, making him the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years. On the LPGA Tour, Shuri Sakuma won the Toto Classic in Japan by four shots, which earns her a spot on the tour. And in Formula One, 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli became the youngest drivers' champion in the sport's history.
Also on the calendar this week:
Tennis: At the WTA Finals in Indian Wells, Mirra Andreeva won 11 straight games to beat Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 6-0 and win her group, and Linda Nosková beat Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 to clinch her own semifinal spot. Gauff and Jessica Pegula are fighting for the last spot in their group on Thursday. The semifinals are Saturday and the final is Sunday. The ATP Finals start Sunday in Turin, where Carlos Alcaraz, fresh off his first Paris Masters title, opens against first-time qualifier Frances Tiafoe.
Pro soccer: The NWSL semifinals are this weekend. The Washington Spirit host the Utah Royals, who are in the playoffs for the first time in club history, on Saturday. Gotham FC face the Kansas City Current on Sunday at Icahn Stadium, after players and coaches raised concerns about the field at their usual home stadium. The championship is Nov. 21.
College field hockey: The NCAA Division I tournament is underway. Wagner earned the first NCAA tournament win in program history, 1-0 over Fairfield, and now faces No. 2 seed Maryland. Saint Joseph's beat Vermont in a shootout to advance and meet top seed Northwestern. The final four meets in Louisville Nov. 20 to 22.
College volleyball: Nebraska is 25-0, received every first-place vote in the coaches poll, and has clinched at least a share of the Big Ten title.
Hockey: The defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes play the Seattle Kraken twice in Helsinki, Finland, as part of the NHL Global Series. It is the Kraken's first trip overseas.
Soccer: Chattanooga FC won the MLS Next Pro title, the first national championship for a pro team from Chattanooga.
A lot of this week's biggest moments will happen under the lights, and so will your athlete's practices. Here is how to keep them safe and seen now that the sun sets before the cooldown.
The Lead Off
Drivers can only avoid what they can see
THE SCIENCE: The clocks fell back on Nov. 1 in most of the country, and for many families the walk to the car, the jog home, or the bike ride after practice now happens in the dark. That matters. In 2024, 76% of pedestrian deaths in the U.S. happened in the dark (NHTSA). Researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety looked at 10 years of crash data and found that fatal crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists rose 13% in the five weeks after the fall time change, and the increase was tied to the change in light (Journal of Safety Research).
Older kids carry the most risk, because they are the ones out on their own. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, 75% of teen pedestrian deaths happen between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. (Safe Kids Worldwide). The American Academy of Pediatrics notes that 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. are the riskiest hours for child pedestrians (HealthyChildren.org). That window overlaps almost perfectly with youth sports practice.
The good news is that being seen is very fixable. In a nighttime road study, drivers with low beams always recognized a walker wearing reflective strips on the wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. They recognized a walker in a reflective vest 60% of the time, and one in black clothing only 40% of the time. Drivers first responded to the reflective strips from about 485 feet away, compared with about 140 feet for the vest and just 18 feet for black clothing (Clinical and Experimental Optometry). Researchers call this "biomotion." Reflective bands on moving joints make the shape look like a person, and our brains pick that up fast. A Cochrane review also found that lights, flashing lights, and reflective materials help drivers detect people at night (Cochrane Review in PMC).
Less daylight also affects your athlete's body. A meta-analysis estimated that about 39% of adolescent athletes have low vitamin D levels, and the authors expect that number to rise in winter and spring (European Journal of Nutrition). In one study, 80% of athletes in indoor sports had low levels, compared with 48% of athletes in outdoor sports (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise). Light timing matters for sleep, too. Kids in early puberty are especially sensitive to evening light. In one study, an hour of normal room light lowered their melatonin, the hormone that signals bedtime, by 26%, about twice the effect seen in older teens (WBUR).
What This Means for Your Athlete: Dark evenings are not a reason to stop training. They are a reason to plan. Put reflective bands on wrists and ankles, add a small light to the bag, and make the trip from the field to the car part of the routine. If this is your first winter as a sports parent, start with one change this week: buy a two-pack of reflective slap bands and keep them in your athlete's bag.
🔄 TRANSLATE TO YOUR SPORT: Cross-country and track: runners on roads after school need bands on wrists and ankles plus a clip-on light. Soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse: the walk from a lit field to a dark parking lot is the risky part. Hockey, swimming, and figure skating: early-morning and late-night rink and pool trips mean dark lots on both ends. Volleyball, basketball, and futsal: indoor athletes get the least daylight, so plan for vitamin D. Biking to practice: add a white front light, a red rear light, and reflective bands on the ankles, where pedaling motion catches a driver's eye.
The Fuel Station
Sheet-Pan Honey Garlic Salmon with Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli
Late practice means late dinner. This one-pan meal is ready in about 35 minutes, and it is one of the best ways to get vitamin D from food during the darkest months.
THE PLAYERS (serves 4)
4 salmon fillets (about 1½ pounds total), wild sockeye if you can find it
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 large head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Salt and pepper
Cooked rice and a glass of milk per person, to serve
THE BUILD
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a large sheet pan with parchment.
Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes.
While they roast, stir together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and the rest of the olive oil.
Push the sweet potatoes to the sides. Add the broccoli and salmon to the pan, and brush the salmon with the honey garlic glaze.
Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, until the salmon flakes easily and reaches 145°F inside (FoodSafety.gov).
Squeeze lemon over everything and serve with rice and milk.
THE GOAL: Serve it within about an hour after evening practice, when the body is ready to refuel (Stanford Children's Health). If dinner will be later than that, pack a snack for the car ride.
WHY IT WORKS
Vitamin D. A 3-ounce serving of cooked sockeye salmon has about 570 IU, nearly all of the 600 IU a day that kids and teens need (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements). Farmed salmon has less, about 100 to 250 IU per 3.5 ounces (HealthyChildren.org).
Milk on the side. Almost all U.S. milk is fortified with about 120 IU of vitamin D per cup, and many soy, almond, and oat milks are too (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
Protein plus carbs. Salmon helps muscles repair, while sweet potatoes and rice refill the energy your athlete burned at practice.
Not a fish family? Swap in eggs, which have small amounts of vitamin D, and lean on fortified milk, cereal, and yogurt (NIH Office of Dietary Supplements).
The Lab
Three drills for darker evenings
THE PLAY: These drills take about 15 minutes total. One teaches your athlete how drivers see them, one moves training indoors after dark, and one uses morning light to help with sleep. You need a flashlight, reflective bands, painter's tape, and a ball. All three are new this week.
Drill 1: The Headlight Test
Setup. At dusk, in a driveway or backyard away from traffic. Your athlete needs a dark hoodie, a bright jacket, and two pairs of reflective bands.
The drill. Stand about 30 big steps away with a flashlight. Your athlete jogs in place in the dark hoodie while you shine the light on them. Then they switch to the bright jacket. Last, they put reflective bands on both wrists and both ankles and jog in place again. Switch roles so your athlete holds the flashlight and sees the difference too.
Progression. Try it at full dark, and add a clip-on light to their backpack.
Why it works. Kids remember what they see. Drivers spotted people wearing reflective strips on their joints from far greater distances than people in vests or dark clothing (Clinical and Experimental Optometry).
Drill 2: The Garage Ladder
Setup. Use painter's tape to make a 10-rung ladder on the garage or basement floor, with rungs about 18 inches apart.
The drill. Do 2 rounds of each pattern: two feet in each box, side shuffle through the ladder, and single-leg hops (one round per leg). Land softly with knees bent and pointed over the toes. Rest 30 seconds between patterns.
Progression. Add a ball. Soccer and futsal players can tap the ball between rungs, and basketball players can dribble while they move.
Why it works. Footwork, balance, and soft landings are the core of neuromuscular training, which lowered the odds of ACL injury by about 63% in athletes under 18 (meta-analysis in PMC). It also keeps training going when the field is dark.
Drill 3: The Sunrise Ten
Setup. On a weekend morning, within an hour after your athlete wakes up, head outside together.
The drill. Do 10 minutes in daylight: 3 minutes of brisk walking, 2 minutes of skips and side shuffles, 3 minutes of dynamic stretches like leg swings and walking lunges, and 2 minutes of easy jogging.
Progression. Add a ball for juggling or passing, or make it a weekly family walk.
Why it works. Morning light helps set the body clock earlier, which makes it easier to fall asleep at night. Evening light pushes sleep later (Psicologia & Neurociências).
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Parent Playbook
Make an after-dark game plan
THE STRATEGY: As kids get older, they make more of the trip on their own, and that is when the risk climbs. In a Safe Kids survey, 40% of teens said they had been hit or nearly hit by a car, bike, or motorcycle while walking (Safe Kids Worldwide). About half of teens surveyed say they cross the street while distracted by a phone (Safe Kids Worldwide). A simple plan, made together, works better than a lecture in the car.
THE PLAY: Sit down for 10 minutes this week and agree on four things.
The spot. Pick a well-lit pickup spot near the field or gym door, not the far end of a dark parking lot.
The kit. Keep a "be seen" kit in the sports bag: reflective bands, a clip-on light, and a charged phone.
The crossing rule. Phone down and headphones out when crossing, and make eye contact with drivers first (Safe Kids Worldwide).
The check-in. A quick "leaving now" text when they head out, and "home" when they arrive.
If you are new to a team, ask the coach where families usually pick up after evening practices and whether the lot is lit. Veteran parents usually know the best spot.
THE CONVERSATION STARTER: "When you leave practice, what is the darkest part of the trip home?"
🏆 Play of the Week
Watch a night game like a coach
THE PLAY: Watch one of this weekend's NWSL semifinals and tune in early for the warm-up. Pros playing on cold November evenings do not skip it. Watch for:
How long the warm-up lasts, and how it builds from easy jogging to full sprints
Dynamic moves like leg swings, skips, and side shuffles, not just standing stretches
What players wear on the bench to stay warm between warm-up and kickoff
🔄 TRANSLATE TO YOUR SPORT: Watching tennis? The ATP Finals in Turin start Sunday, with the evening sessions played indoors. Watch how players move and hit before the first point. Hockey fan? Watch the Hurricanes and Kraken in Helsinki, and look at the pregame skate.
THE GOAL: Help your athlete see that the best players warm up harder when it is cold and dark. That is exactly what their bodies need at a 6 p.m. practice.
THE FINAL WHISTLE
Shine a light on the trip home
Your athlete will do a lot of their training in the dark for the next few months. That is okay. With a few reflective bands, a small light, a smart dinner, and a plan you make together, the early sunset becomes just another part of the season.
The best athletes prepare for the conditions they have. Your family can, too.
Be bright, be seen, and finish strong.
See you on the sidelines,
The Seasoned Sidekick Team
Pass the Assist
Know a parent whose athlete has practice after dark? Forward this issue before their next evening practice.
Keep Reading
November 5, 2026: College Hoops: Defensive Fundamentals and Moving Without the Ball
October 29, 2026: NYC Marathon: Pacing, Endurance, and Long-Term Discipline
October 22, 2026: World Series: Visual Focus and Staying "In the Zone"
Medical Disclaimer: The content in The Seasoned Sidekick is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of a licensed physician, registered dietitian, or certified athletic trainer. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your athlete's nutrition, training, or recovery plan. Individual needs vary. The information presented is based on available research and general guidelines for youth athletes.