In a new five-part series on gocolumbialions.com, the Lion's sports dietician, Andrew James Pierce, will provide and in-depth look at the Columbia Athletics Sports Nutrition Program.
In our series, Andrew James Pierce will discuss his collaboration with Food Services, Clinical Work, Performance and Education.
In this week's entry, Andrew talks about how he works with teams to create menus for team meals to maximize performance.
Hello GoColumbiaLions.Com!
I am excited to tell you all about what we are doing in Columbia Athletics regarding Sports Nutrition. Today, we will start with team meals.
A primary responsibility of my position concerns the actual feeding of our student-athletes. I am involved in the menu development for team meals including those provided before and after competition, practice and while traveling. I assist the coaching and operations staff with the selection of those responsible for providing meals, both at home and on the road, including Columbia dining services, team hotels or outside food services establishments. Once the vendor has been secured, it is my job to ensure the menus meet the nutritional need of the individuals within the budget set forth by the sports program. Not done yet, I will roll up my sleeves and help with the setup and management of all necessary equipment and supplies during meal and snack times.
I like to be a presence at team meals not only to help facilitate the food service operation but also to take advantage of the education opportunity it presents. I believe the most effective way to communicate nutrition information is through practical application. Providing food allows for concrete examples of what constitutes a high-performance diet.
Beyond team meals, I also evaluate and help procure other food and food products available to the athletes such as post-workout recovery snacks, dietary supplements and hydration. In particular with supplements, I will assess and evaluate all dietary supplements for efficacy, safety, value and NCAA compliance.