The sports nutrition side of training for athletics has become a large slice of the pie in collegiate sports. Its importance is now thought of as a key factor in the overall development of athletes. Poor eating habits coupled with poor food choices is a double whammy against optimal growth. College coaches have a four to maybe five year window of opportunity to develop their athletes to their potential. And, of course, in some instances where a superb athlete may make the jump to professional sports, that time frame might even be shorter. Therefore, it's quite critical to begin the developmental process as soon as the athlete lands on campus. It's no longer a "Hey…. be sure to eat your fruits and vegetables" world. There's too much on the line.
ASAP went to The University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and sat down at the table with Stephanie Horvath, who is the Director of Performance Nutrition at the storied Southeastern Conference football power where there are six National Championship banners in tow. A pretty impressive fact of college football history and Head Football Coach Butch Jones would like to make it a seventh one day. The Tennessee Volunteers' fan base has a huge amount of pride in the 'orange and white' and has high expectations. So to keep the progress rising, the the Vols will need every edge that they can get! That's where Stephanie Horvath enters the picture. Being a former Division 1 athlete herself, she understands the whole deal and how properly fueling the athletic body can give an athlete the edge that they desire. Since the coaches look for any advantage that they can attain, the nutrition aspect could be a difference maker and lead to a winning performance. The fact that Stephanie was a member of the Indiana Hoosiers Rowing squad, she learned the value of proper fueling for athletics. It served as a catalyst for her career that landed her at Ol' Rocky Top and directing the sports nutrition program at U.T.. The athletes there are extremely glad she's now in Knoxville. Me too! Because, I got to try one of her Strawberry/Vanilla smoothies and it's a winner! Go Vols!
In this podcast, Stephanie shares her story of how she was able to encounter such a great opportunity with the Tennessee program. Even better, she explains some great tips for becoming a well educated athlete and some of the requirements for fueling those athletic endeavors!
Pics from around the Tennessee Vols Fueling Station
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