ATHENS — One of the most important additions to the Georgia football team doesn’t wear a helmet and won’t run a play this fall.
Jenn Ketterly was brought in from North Carolina to address what athletic director Greg McGarity identified as one of the athletic department’s most critical areas of need: sports nutrition.
“One piece I thought was missing, as you come in and analyze things was, ‘How are our kids being fueled?’” McGarity said.
Georgia was one of the few major college programs that did not provide a daily training table specifically for its athletes. Ketterly said she was surprised to learn that when she first talked to McGarity about the job.
“I think we all recognized we had a good amount of work to do on the performance nutrition side of things here,” Ketterly said. “In the SEC, Georgia was one of the last to come aboard.”
The NCAA places limits on training tables, allowing only one “enhanced meal” a day. The Bulldogs weren’t even doing that. Players either had to fend for themselves at any of the number dining halls on campus or accept $2,000 per semester to provide their own meals. Many chose the cash.
“They were getting a check for a couple thousand bucks and being told, ‘Hey, go eat,’” McGarity said. “And you know what happens if I give a freshman 2,000 bucks? Where is that going? Chances are it’s probably not going to a great meal.”
Enter Ketterly and her assistant, Maria Breen. They make sure the Bulldogs football players eat right by organizing a daily training table in a makeshift cafeteria at the Stegeman Practice and Training Facility. From 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, athletes come in and feast on meals planned specifically to enhance their performance.
As of this week, 195 athletes per day were using the service, including 100 percent of the football players.
Ketterly is hopeful that she will be able to spread her services to other facilities throughout the campus.
In addition to setting up the training table, Ketterly addresses individual players’ diets and plans meals for the team to eat on road trips. She met with the players when they reported for preseason camp.
“Coach wanted to set the tone right away,” she said. “The football players have been great to work with. They want to win. They want to do well. They’re committed.”
Last Thursday the menu read like this: tarragon chicken with peach chutney, hamburgers, home-style pot roast, turnip greens, roasted carrots and potatoes, walnuts and blueberries, and spinach. There also were fruit and salad bars.
Missing were soft drinks, caffeinated drinks and fried foods. Ketterly said the menu always will consist of fresh whole foods, lean proteins and high carbohydrates.
“Oh, man, it’s great,” sophomore linebacker Alec Olgetreesaid. “They try to keep it diverse. We have different stuff every day and it’s all pretty good. The best thing about it is we don’t have to wait in line like we do in the dining halls.”
“The food is very good and it’s convenient,” quarterback Aaron Murray said.
