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Ashley Krause, the head athletic trainer and wellness teacher at Cherokee Trail, says her favorite part of receiving a Fuel Up with Milk Grant is watching “athletes get more excited and caring more about their health and nutrition.”
Both the Cherokee Trail football and volleyball teams are refueling with chocolate milk this fall season with thanks to the Fuel Up with Milk grant from the dairy farm families of Western Dairy Association. The large Fuel Up with Milk banner hanging in the hallway next to the training room where athletes receive milk reminds the Cougars to refuel their bodies with nutritious foods before and after exercise. Milk is just an “easy and delicious” choice, both teams stated synonymously.
The Cherokee Trail volleyball team, who have a 6-0 leading start to the season, recognize that consuming enough protein for an active lifestyle is important for performance and overall health. One volleyball player shared that the type of protein source makes a difference in her post-exercise regimen. And when discussing milk as an option, explained “I like it better than protein powders because I don’t feel bloated, and it tastes much better than any chocolate protein powders I have had.”
The men’s team also now recognizes the value of many nutritious foods as part of a healthy lifestyle. While exercise is essential for building muscle mass, muscle growth only happens when exercise is combined with a well-balanced diet — and one that includes high-quality protein. Many football players stated that before learning more about health and nutrition this season that they thought nutrition was more unreachable and unattainable than it really is. “I thought you had to buy protein powders to get beneficial protein,” one player stated. “I like the fact that chocolate milk is something I can buy at the store.”
Colorado farm families are committed to ensuring that the nutritious product is available and affordable for all athletes across the state. On average it takes less than two days for fresh, local milk — with eight grams of high quality protein per serving — to travel from farm to athlete. Because it is so readily available, the Cherokee Trail athletes plan to continue to refuel with milk outside of the season, “Chocolate milk is easy, convenient and something I could drink daily,” both teams agreed.
Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.