The players come in to a spread of snacks laid out on a couple of tables, and she walks around the room as players meet with their position coaches handing out water, gatorade and some light food.
As Alabama’s nutritionist, she is responsible for making sure everyone’s food needs are met and properly focused on their individual needs. On a game day, this becomes even more important as she’s trying to refuel and re-energize them on the go.
The halftime snack of choice is a rice krispy treat for instant energy and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for energy later.
While this process builds to a crescendo on a game day, it’s the result of months of training, educating and providing so that it’s second nature when it really counts.
“It’s my job to create a fueling environment that’s conducive to optimal choices for performance,” Bragg says two months later from a conference room inside the athletic department. “I call it managing the food supply, but it’s also educating through what we do. Players don’t like to sit in a lecture. But if you can show them and then develop habits over three or four years then you’ve helped them.”
Bragg came to Alabama in 2010 as UA’s first full-time nutritionist. She previously served in the same position at Texas A&M for six years. When she was hired at Texas A&M, she was only the sixth full-time nutritionist in the country.
Now, Bragg estimates there are around 60 schools that have full-time nutritionists, including 12 of the 14 in the SEC.
“Nobody really thought that sports nutrition could be a full-time job,” she said. “I don’t think it was on anybody’s radar.”
Now five years into her career at Alabama, her job seems as essential as strength coach Scott Cochran or head trainer Jeff Allen, both of whom work closely with Bragg.
Saban recently called her “one of the best nutritionists in the country.”
The in-depth look is continued here...
As Alabama’s nutritionist, she is responsible for making sure everyone’s food needs are met and properly focused on their individual needs. On a game day, this becomes even more important as she’s trying to refuel and re-energize them on the go.
The halftime snack of choice is a rice krispy treat for instant energy and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for energy later.
While this process builds to a crescendo on a game day, it’s the result of months of training, educating and providing so that it’s second nature when it really counts.
“It’s my job to create a fueling environment that’s conducive to optimal choices for performance,” Bragg says two months later from a conference room inside the athletic department. “I call it managing the food supply, but it’s also educating through what we do. Players don’t like to sit in a lecture. But if you can show them and then develop habits over three or four years then you’ve helped them.”
Bragg came to Alabama in 2010 as UA’s first full-time nutritionist. She previously served in the same position at Texas A&M for six years. When she was hired at Texas A&M, she was only the sixth full-time nutritionist in the country.
Now, Bragg estimates there are around 60 schools that have full-time nutritionists, including 12 of the 14 in the SEC.
“Nobody really thought that sports nutrition could be a full-time job,” she said. “I don’t think it was on anybody’s radar.”
Now five years into her career at Alabama, her job seems as essential as strength coach Scott Cochran or head trainer Jeff Allen, both of whom work closely with Bragg.
Saban recently called her “one of the best nutritionists in the country.”
The in-depth look is continued here...
