GOT MILK? Cross country team receives grant
The Troy Athens High School cross country team was recently awarded a chocolate milk grant from the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.
The team is using chocolate milk as their recovery beverage during this season because it contains the right three to one mix of carbohydrates and protein scientifically shown to help refuel muscles. It helps restore muscles quickly to their peak potential and helps replenish what the body has lost during exercise.
Athens cross country coaches Mike Stallsmith and Shawn DuFresne, who are in their 25th year leading the Red Hawks as a coaching duo, said they grateful for the grant.
“We are always emphasizing proper nutrition with our student athletes,” DuFresne said. “This grant allows us to see our training philosophy in action. Moreover, our runners are now even more conscious of their food choices, and how their decisions relate to
becoming a successful athlete and ultimately a healthy person throughout their lives.”
The Athens boys and girls cross country teams train together, and are led by senior captains Dan
Bart, Ryan Meitzner, and Riley Weber, as well as juniors Hannah DiGiovanni and Erin Swartz.
“The grant we received provides a great healthy recovery drink which not only helped our performance but also served as a reward after a practice or meet,” Bart said.
Grant recipients were encouraged to raise funds for a food bank to purchase milk, one of the most requested items. The Athens team recently donated $ 200 to the Troy People Concerned Food Pantry located at St. Anastasia Roman Catholic Church in Troy. The pantry, which relies strictly on donations of the parish and the local community, assists all city residents.
“This pandemic has hit our local neighbors very hard with job loss and discretionary income,” said St. Anastasia Christian Service Director Kim Houseman. “This generous donation from the Athens cross country team will allow us to provide milk for families, which is something that we are not always typically able to offer.”