In a landscape where few high schools prioritize full-time sports nutrition, Coach Allison Maurer is blazing the trail. With a background providing performance nutrition for the University of Colorado from 2004-2007, the University of Tennessee from 2007-2016, and the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2016-2020, Maurer joined Knoxville Catholic High School to lead their student health and wellness program. Through her innovative classes and hands-on coaching, she’s paving the way to establish lifelong health and wellness habits for her students.
Maurer’s journey into high school sports came after years working at the collegiate and professional level. But, the challenges of the 2020 pandemic season pushed her to re-evaluate her career path. After years of Knoxville Catholic inviting her to teach, she finally embraced the opportunity in 2021, joining the high school full-time and bringing with her a vision of integrating top-tier sports nutrition at the high school level.
“After the 2020 season, I was like, ‘Wow, I don’t know if I want to do this for the rest of my life,” Coach Maurer recalls. “Our whole lives were all flipped upside down, so the way I say it is, ‘Being in the bubble took my soul. So, you know what, I think maybe I’ll do this full time instead.'”
Effectiveness Of Early Nutrition Education
At Knoxville Catholic, Maurer provides a comprehensive sports nutrition program that equips student-athletes with the knowledge to make smart, lasting dietary choices. Students learn to see food as fuel, question nutrition myths, and inform themselves on what they are putting into their bodies. Through a series of courses, Maurer teaches foundational topics such as hydration, macronutrient balance, recovery, and gut and brain health. Maurer even takes students to the supermarket to bring these lessons to life, teaching them practical skills for fueling their bodies responsibly.
“It’s not as complicated as as it seems,” Maurer says. “When I pause, I’m like, ‘Why would you believe all this? Why do you think they present it this way? What do you think could be another option?’ And most of the time students are like, ‘I don’t know.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, they’re saying all these types of foods cause diabetes, but what are the main foods that they’re always talking about?’ And they’re like, ‘Fried chicken.’ And I’m like, ‘Yes! So did they look at salmon with brown rice? No, they probably didn’t.’ So I really challenge them to try to think on their own.”
Allison Maurer’s Strength and Conditioning Role
Maurer also serves as the school’s strength coach, using her dual certification as a dietitian and strength coach to provide personalized guidance that considers each athlete’s unique performance needs. She accommodates a growing number of sports at Knoxville Catholic, including baseball, basketball, softball, wrestling, and lacrosse. In each training session, she carefully considers each athletes’ nutritional needs, making sure workouts and recovery plans align with their individual goals. For Maurer, the purposes of nutrition and strength training are inseparable.
“When I’m watching an athlete lift, I’m not just looking at their form,” says Coach Maurer. “I’m thinking through, ‘Okay, this kid is post surgery, we gotta make sure that they’re taking their post surgery supplements and they’re hydrating well.’ So in my head, it’s just constant.”
Tailored Hydration and Recovery Plans
Understanding the essential role of hydration in regards to training and nutrition is another large emphasis of Maurer’s training program, especially in Tennessee’s intense summer heat. Maurer customizes hydration plans to fit each athlete’s unique needs, classifying athletes based on sweat levels and other factors. After rigorous training or games, her athletes benefit from recovery drinks like chocolate milk or additional hydration options like The Right Stuff to meet their electrolyte needs. Her individualized approach not only optimizes hydration and muscle repair in the athletes who need it most, but also reduces risks of cramping, fatigue, and injuries.
“We categorize the kids on their hydration,” says Coach Maurer. “So if they’re a super salty sweater, they’re going to get The Right Stuff a couple of times a day. If they’re middle of the road, then they’re going to get a lower sodium content. If they’re not really sweaters, they never cramp, then they’re gonna get even lower. So it individualizes things.”
Maurer’s Advice for Coaches
For high school coaches without formal nutrition training, Maurer recommends building relationships with certified dietitians and using trusted resources to support their athletes’ needs. She warns against giving general advice on supplements, stressing that health conditions like celiac disease or Crohn’s can complicate nutritional recommendations. For those interested in incorporating supplements like creatine, she recommends establishing clear guidelines, involving parents, and ensuring athletes meet hydration and dietary standards before considering supplementation. Maurer also encourages coaches to stay informed on current nutrition science, as recommendations can change rapidly.
“My advice to strength coaches is, please find a good sports dietitian resource that you can ask questions to,” says Coach Maurer. “Because it’s not just about, ‘This Kid asked what protein he should take. So I told him.’ A lot of times what we assume as strength coaches, but you didn’t realize that kid has celiac disease or Crohn’s disease. And now he goes and buys that, and then he has a flare up. So it’s not as simple as, ‘Take more electrolytes.’ Did you know that that kid had high blood pressure? So as a strength coach you cannot assume everything is as easy as it seems, or as cut and dry, it is not.”
Pioneering the Role of Dietitians in High Schools
Maurer is one of the few full-time dietitians working in a high school setting, and she believes this role is essential for elevating student health and performance. She hopes that her work inspires more high schools to recognize the importance of on-staff dietitians. By incorporating nutrition courses directly into the school curriculum, she illustrates the practical value of providing a comprehensive education on nutrition.
“I have told these kids from day one, I will not write you a meal plan,” Coach Maurer says. “That is not what I’m doing. Because you’re never going to live life by a meal plan and I’m not going to do all your work for you. Making them be really responsible and accountable is incredibly important. These high schoolers are so stinking smart, it’s incredible. And they catch on so fast.”
Coach Allison Maurer’s work at Knoxville Catholic High School is reshaping the landscape of high school sports. Through her combined roles in nutrition and strength coaching, she’s not only preparing athletes for success on the field but also fostering lifelong habits that extend beyond sports. Her pragmatic approach serves as a model for other high schools looking to make student health and wellness a cornerstone of their curriculum.
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