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Interview: DC United Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer
By: Christine Bean, Photo: D.C. United
This week, we sat down with Brian Goodstein, Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer of D.C. United, to learn about why they chose MightyMeals as the official meal prep sponsor for the club, and how good nutrition affects their players performance on the field.
Why did you choose MightyMeals as the official meal prep provider for D.C. United?
Brian: We needed to find a caterer that could provide nutritious meals for our players to perform at their best, while also being sanitary and pre-packaged during a global pandemic. MightyMeals has done an impressive job at creating a variety of great-tasting options for our players to support recovery and ensure our players are performing at their peak.
What types of foods are best suited for pre-game meals for your athletes?
Brian: Each player has different dietary requirements, and MightyMeals provides great vegan and vegetarian alternatives that still contain all the nutrients necessary. Our players tend to eat a boosted amount of carbohydrates before games to give them the energy they need to perform at an elite level.
How does good nutrition help your athletes’ performance on the field?
Brian: Nutrition and diet are massive components in maximizing an athlete’s performance on the field. With the MLS schedule, and tight turnaround between games, diet is pivotal to refueling players and expediting recovery so they can continue to play at their best throughout the season.
Soccer players burn a lot of energy on the field; what do their post-game meals look like?
Brian: After a training session or game, we need a meal to replenish all the nutrients that a player expended. For ideal muscle repair, we try to get food in their system 45 minutes post-match. We like to give them meals that have healthy sources of carbohydrates and protein to kickstart recovery.
What is a typical day’s meal plan for a D.C. United player?
Brian: Each player has different dietary requirements, but we look for healthy sources of carbohydrates and protein to support their active lifestyles. We focus on ensuring that the players are fueling their body correctly before games and practices, and then providing them with meals to support recovery after a physically taxing day.
How does MightyMeals make meal planning easy for the team and staff?
Brian: MightyMeals has done an exceptional job at creating an easy, efficient and healthy way to feed the players and staff. Health is the number one priority at the moment, so having pre-packaged meals enables us to feed the players in a sanitary environment. The wide variety of meals also gives the players and staff new and exciting options daily. MightyMeals has also been attentive to feedback and working closely with D.C. United to get the players the necessary food to succeed on the pitch.
What is your favorite MightyMeals dish?
Brian: Chicken Marsala, for sure.
Follow D.C. United on Facebook and Instagram, and be sure to mark your calendar for opening day on April 17th!