Everyone wants to eat better. Some of us are just more successful than others.
Luckily, if you’re a member of the Austin FC first team, you have a whole team working together to help you eat the right foods at the right time. With that kind of support, players are able to perform at their highest levels in both training and matches.
“If we prioritize the things that guys put into their bodies, that’s literally the building blocks of how they’re going to be able to perform, how they’re going to be able to recover and how they’re going to be able to increase the longevity of their careers,” Chad Kolarcik, Austin FC’s Head Fitness and Rehabilitation Coach, told AustinFC.com recently.
“It’s becoming common knowledge that if you don’t have sleep and nutrition, if you don’t have those two things dialed in, it really doesn’t matter how much other stuff you do -- it’s going to be really hard to overcome that. You’re always going to be starting from behind.”
The players are generally served both breakfast and lunch at St. David’s Performance Center on training days, and Kolarcik’s team works to educate players on what they should be eating for dinner and on off days.
Kolarcik highlighted that the times in and around competition and training are the most important when trying to optimize nutrition. Though there are different schools of thought about what should be eaten during those times, Kolarcik is clear in what he serves the players.
“The position that we come from is, generally before and after physical activity, the important things for you to consume are carbohydrates and protein. Those are the most important things you’re trying to get back into your body. You generally would stay away from fats.”
If you’re wondering what exactly this looks like, before training players are generally served eggs, potatoes and oatmeal. Lunch is either a rice, pasta or potato along with vegetables and a few different protein options. Salads and fruit are also available.
Obviously everybody has different palettes, but despite ATXFC having players from across the world, there are few objections in terms of what kinds of food are put in front of them.
“They get their needs met pretty much every day just because of the variety that we are able to offer.”
