In one week, the Terrier Fueling Station serves more than 500 protein-packed smoothies to hungry student-athletes. “And that’s just our most popular item,” says Sarah Gilbert, the station’s director and a dietitian specializing in sports nutrition for BU student-athletes.
Gilbert says the station also goes through, on average, 10 pounds of granola and 40 boxes of Honey Stinger Energy Waffles, another favorite.
The station, at BU’s Strength and Conditioning Center, was established in 2018. A collaboration between Sargent and BU Athletics, the Terrier Fueling Station offers free pre- and post-workout snacks to the more than 600 athletes who drop by a few times a week to lift weights. In 2020, it also spawned an outpost at Agganis Arena for the men’s and women’s ice hockey teams.
Pre-workout offerings include bananas, apple sauce, Goldfish crackers, pretzels, the energy waffles, fruit snacks, and allergy-friendly options like 88 Acres granola bars and gluten-free energy waffles. “It’s a lot of easily digested carbohydrates,” says Gilbert (’18). After their practice or workout—when the body craves “carbohydrates for energy replenishment and then protein for muscle recovery and repair work,” she says—athletes can enjoy smoothies, Greek yogurt with granola, cheese sticks, chocolate or soy milk, and Clif bars.
Our athletes have high needs and busy schedules, and if we can just put something right where they are, when they need it, it makes life a lot easier for them.
—Sarah Gilbert
“We use [the station] as an educational centerpiece as well,” Gilbert says. “So, we have signs that talk about why we recommend these things before or after a workout.”
The station is open Monday through Friday, from 6 am to 6 pm throughout the academic year and for more limited hours during the summer. Each semester, it’s staffed by 20 to 25 students, including undergraduate and graduate practicum students from Sargent’s nutrition programs, health science and human physiology interns, and other Sargent students who volunteer their time.
“They all bring a unique perspective and have different backgrounds—not always nutrition—but all have these overlapping interests that culminate in sports performance and wellness,” says Gilbert. “Many student-athletes are Sargent students, and they will work with us and get to see both sides, which I think is really nice.”
Drew Marrochello, BU’s director of athletics, says he’s seen the station’s positive effect on the athletes. “The Terrier Fueling Station has been an essential resource,” he says. “It provides necessary nutritional products and education about healthy regimens to student-athletes so that they can optimize their performance.”
Gilbert has heard from athletes how much they appreciate the station’s convenience. “Our athletes have high needs and busy schedules,” she says, “and if we can just put something right where they are, when they need it, it makes life a lot easier for them.”