Due to their packed schedules of academics, trainings and competitions, student-athletes struggle to fit good eating habits into their schedule. To address this concern, the fueling station offers them access to healthy snacks and drinks between mealtimes.
Located in the Liberty Athletics Center, the fueling station, also called The Level, provides student-athletes with a variety of snack options, the most popular being sandwiches, cherry juice, Chobani drinkable yogurts and the once-a-week special of açai bowls.
Athletes have a point system where they can get specific snacks and drinks each day.
The Sports Nutrition Department also provides student-athletes and teams with snacks during athletic events. These include salty snacks, like pretzels, and sweeter snacks, like fruit snacks, to ensure that the athletes have a wide variety of energizing food options.
According to Assistant Sports Dietitian Melissa Stewart, the goal of the fueling station and the Sports Nutrition Department is to educate their athletes so that they feel equipped to make the right decisions on when and how to properly fuel themselves. The department educates students through lectures to the teams, individual counseling sessions, and signs next to food at the fueling station.
“We as dietitians want to really equip our athletes with the necessary tools and education and resources that they learn here that they can carry into their whole life,” Stewart said. “I want my athletes to be strong and healthy long-term.”
The department uses a method called Performance Plates to help athletes fuel their bodies well depending on the day of training. Through visually dividing their plate, student-athletes eat varying amounts of carbs, proteins and color-rich foods, which are fruits and vegetables. On hard training or game days, athletes are encouraged to consume more carbs, while on off days, color-rich foods are the priority.
The Performance Plates are designed around the limited options that student-athletes have while living on campus. According to Stewart, the most important aspect of the Performance Plates and eating healthy while at school is prioritizing a balanced diet.
“We want to make sure you’re fueling for all the activities you do as a student,” Stewart said. “Whether it’s in classes, make sure you’re fueling up so your brain is working properly, so you can retain the information and also recall it when it’s time for an exam or a test.”
The Sports Nutrition Department emphasizes that the mindset of fueling your body is not just about competing well in the sport. They look to support the student-athlete as a whole person, not just an athlete.
“I think a lot of times athletes feel like they’re seen as just a number on the field, and especially some of our more injured athletes, where everyone’s goal is to get them back on the field,” Sports Nutrition Fellow Kennedy Kerbs said. “I think that’s where we have a big impact [and] yes, we want to help them get healthier, but we also get to know them.”
While the sports dietitians are there to educate the athletes and provide recommendations, Stewart gets excited when athletes are able to personally apply the knowledge they have learned from the dietitians.
“So, when they (student-athletes) have the ‘aha’ moments, the realization of how nutrition and hydration really helps support them on the field, and they apply it … that is what makes … our job very rewarding,” Stewart said.
The Sports Nutrition Department has been emphasizing to students the importance of hydration. Athletes complete hydration tests to ensure that they are properly hydrated, so they can perform at their best. Through those tests, the sports dietitians can make the right recommendations to help athletes rehydrate.
Students across campus who are not college athletes can still apply the basic principles of eating a balanced diet, according to Stewart. Through eating a balanced plate, staying hydrated and being creative with the options you have on hand, all students can build healthy eating habits.
Twitchell is a feature editor for The Liberty Champion.