As Cabrini’s athletes gear up for a new season of sports, they have to make sure they are not just mentally ready but physically ready. Student athletes oftentimes are preparing in more ways than going to practice or hitting the gym. Besides exercise, the new season has fall athletes incorporating a healthy diet to help them succeed on and off the field.
“I try to make sure to eat a moderate amount but drink way more water than I eat,” sophomore men’s tennis player Alijah Broadnax said. “I try to keep granola bars, bananas, and other things for during matches and warm ups just in case I ate too little.”
Transitioning from home-cooked meals to eating in a college setting can be challenging for anyone, but is especially tough for athletes trying to prepare for the season. Trying to find healthy options on-campus can be difficult, and keeping meals varied can be even more so.
Being that college students are not exactly known for making positive food choices, it can be especially difficult for athletes to stick to healthy diets. Despite these difficulties, athletes ultimately find making healthy choices to be rewarding.
“I eat healthy at school and at home, but at school it is harder. Being an athlete, it helps me feel better about myself when I eat healthy food,” sophomore women’s rowing player Sydnie McDonald said.
When walking through the cafeteria it is not at all uncommon to see members of sports teams sitting at a large table eating together. Student athletes often eat with their teammates after practice, which can help them stick to healthy diets while also helping them to get to know each other.
“On the field we have one sort of team dynamic, where although we enjoy playing, it is a little more serious,” sophomore mid level education and member of the women’s soccer team Theresa Mignogna said. “When we eat together I think it helps us get to know each other better at the beginning of the season and strengthen the bond we have off the field making a stronger bond on the field.”
The diets athletes have been following in order to prepare for the fall season vary from sport to sport, but ultimately are all for the same purpose— the health of the student-athletes and the success of the Cavaliers.
