It's estimated that 70 percent of mothers are raising kids who play competitive sports, accounting for 13 million "sports moms" in the U.S.

How moms perceive their role, challenges, motivations and rewards, as it relates to their children's sports, is the focus of a new study conducted by Gatorade, which polled 900 mothers of middle and high school athletes.

The study found that while both the time and financial responsibilities necessary for sports programs is great, moms say that they are committed to keeping their kids active, with 79 percent reporting that they have "no problem" balancing these added demands with their other responsibilities.

"We found that sports moms play a major role in their athletes' lives, but they feel they make the biggest impact in their athletes' nutrition," said Gatorade's Sarah Robb O'Hagan.

While 94 percent of the moms surveyed said that proper nutrition is essential for athletic performance, many said that they have concerns and knowledge gaps about it.

For instance, 75 percent of those polled did not know that kids should consume protein within a 30-60 minute window after exercising to promote muscle recovery, and 40 percent feel their athletes don't get the right nutrients to keep them on top of their game during practice and competition.

Experts say that, along with the proper equipment and gear, good nutrition and hydration are essential for optimum athletic performance.