Photo by: Texas A&M Athletics
Front and Center: R.C. Slocum Nutrition Center
Nov 05, 2015 | General, Women's Swimming and Diving
R.C. Slocum is among the best coaches in college football history. With his legendary tenure as the all-time winningest head football coach in Texas A&M history, it's not surprising that Slocum was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
What could be surprising to some and inspiring to all is that Slocum still has a tremendous impact on Aggie Athletics every single day. With the opening of the $12 million R.C. Slocum Nutrition Center in 2013, athletic nutrition moved to the forefront of collegiate athletics.
As a student-athlete on the Texas A&M swimming and diving team, both my personal athletic career and the overall experience of the typical student-athlete have been positively affected by the opening of the dining facility affectionately known as "Slocum." Every student-athlete from every sport is able to experience the multiple benefits of Slocum that were not available before it opened.
Nutrition is a vital part of an athlete's performance. Former professional football player Ray Lewis once said, "I'm watching these guys with their cheeseburgers and stuff. And you're going to compete against me? Even if you're younger and faster, your fuel won't let you beat me." What Lewis said has been proven. As an athlete, you can workout and train as much as you would like, but without proper nutrition you will eventually plateau.
For Aggie student-athletes like me, Slocum is a great place to eat a healthy meal on campus, which is something that is often hard to come by. From the salad bar to the hot meal line of gourmet food, student-athletes at Texas A&M are no longer eating Top Ramen noodles and Easy Mac. Good, healthy options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are readily available for all student-athletes. And Slocum is open at times that accommodate our hectic practice, meet/game and school schedules.
The nutritional value of the food served at Slocum is hard to top. Different sports require different nutritional goals, all of which are met at this facility. For example, the caloric intake for football players and swimmers is expected to be sky high, while divers, golfers and tennis and soccer players are expected to eat differently.
At Slocum, there is a color-coded system to let student-athletes know which foods are high in fats, carbohydrates and calories. Green indicates low calories, while yellow is for more carb-based foods and red is for foods that are high in fat. With this system, it is easy to determine which foods are better to consume for your specific sport.
For diving specifically, it is important to find a body weight, fat percentage and energy level that will help you achieve your peak performance. The phenomenal performance nutritionists, led by Jon Tanguay, help us achieve this with how our bodies are fueled at Slocum. Meal plans are developed and fueling begins, all with the help of the amazing staff and facilities.
As a bonus to the meals Slocum provides, we are able to receive snacks before and after practice to ensure we prepare and recover accordingly. This includes items like protein shakes and bars, chocolate milk and various fruits. All in all, the goal is to help student-athletes feel more energized, recover properly, drop body fat and build lean muscle. A combination of these steps will help us become the best athletes possible.
At Slocum, you can always expect an array of smiling faces welcoming you when you walk in the door. Whether it's while putting hour of work into preparing the food, answering questions or just having a friendly conversation, Chef Pat and the entire Slocum staff are extremely friendly and professional.
A top-of-the-line facility like Slocum is extremely attractive to incoming prospective student-athletes. Texas A&M is a top Division I school in the SEC, and this makes us even more appealing to recruits. I like to brag about Slocum to my friends from other schools, because it is something that is special to us as Aggie student-athletes.
Of all the benefits Slocum provides, I think the most significant impact on student-athletes is the social stability it adds. Slocum is a place where all student-athletes can come together as one. It is a place where we do not have to worry about practices, games, school or any other part of our lives as busy student-athletes. Slocum is one place where we can just be "normal". It is also a place where student-athletes from all sports intermingle. If you walk into Slocum, you will likely see a table with a football player, diver, soccer player, golfer and swimmer all having a blast eating together. The diversity is something truly special and inspiring.
In Slocum, we are all just college kids trying to enjoy a good meal and a refreshing break. WE are able to make friends from different backgrounds, countries and athletic teams. Some of my best friends play other sports, and with the busy lifestyle we live, sometimes Slocum is the only place I can see them on a regular basis.
Slocum is one of the most useful and impressive facilities on Texas A&M's campus. The benefits of this facility for student-athletes are apparent, and I am truly happy that I am able to be a part of Aggie Athletics during this time of growth and achievement.
What could be surprising to some and inspiring to all is that Slocum still has a tremendous impact on Aggie Athletics every single day. With the opening of the $12 million R.C. Slocum Nutrition Center in 2013, athletic nutrition moved to the forefront of collegiate athletics.
As a student-athlete on the Texas A&M swimming and diving team, both my personal athletic career and the overall experience of the typical student-athlete have been positively affected by the opening of the dining facility affectionately known as "Slocum." Every student-athlete from every sport is able to experience the multiple benefits of Slocum that were not available before it opened.
Nutrition is a vital part of an athlete's performance. Former professional football player Ray Lewis once said, "I'm watching these guys with their cheeseburgers and stuff. And you're going to compete against me? Even if you're younger and faster, your fuel won't let you beat me." What Lewis said has been proven. As an athlete, you can workout and train as much as you would like, but without proper nutrition you will eventually plateau.
For Aggie student-athletes like me, Slocum is a great place to eat a healthy meal on campus, which is something that is often hard to come by. From the salad bar to the hot meal line of gourmet food, student-athletes at Texas A&M are no longer eating Top Ramen noodles and Easy Mac. Good, healthy options for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are readily available for all student-athletes. And Slocum is open at times that accommodate our hectic practice, meet/game and school schedules.
The nutritional value of the food served at Slocum is hard to top. Different sports require different nutritional goals, all of which are met at this facility. For example, the caloric intake for football players and swimmers is expected to be sky high, while divers, golfers and tennis and soccer players are expected to eat differently.
At Slocum, there is a color-coded system to let student-athletes know which foods are high in fats, carbohydrates and calories. Green indicates low calories, while yellow is for more carb-based foods and red is for foods that are high in fat. With this system, it is easy to determine which foods are better to consume for your specific sport.
For diving specifically, it is important to find a body weight, fat percentage and energy level that will help you achieve your peak performance. The phenomenal performance nutritionists, led by Jon Tanguay, help us achieve this with how our bodies are fueled at Slocum. Meal plans are developed and fueling begins, all with the help of the amazing staff and facilities.
As a bonus to the meals Slocum provides, we are able to receive snacks before and after practice to ensure we prepare and recover accordingly. This includes items like protein shakes and bars, chocolate milk and various fruits. All in all, the goal is to help student-athletes feel more energized, recover properly, drop body fat and build lean muscle. A combination of these steps will help us become the best athletes possible.
At Slocum, you can always expect an array of smiling faces welcoming you when you walk in the door. Whether it's while putting hour of work into preparing the food, answering questions or just having a friendly conversation, Chef Pat and the entire Slocum staff are extremely friendly and professional.
A top-of-the-line facility like Slocum is extremely attractive to incoming prospective student-athletes. Texas A&M is a top Division I school in the SEC, and this makes us even more appealing to recruits. I like to brag about Slocum to my friends from other schools, because it is something that is special to us as Aggie student-athletes.
Of all the benefits Slocum provides, I think the most significant impact on student-athletes is the social stability it adds. Slocum is a place where all student-athletes can come together as one. It is a place where we do not have to worry about practices, games, school or any other part of our lives as busy student-athletes. Slocum is one place where we can just be "normal". It is also a place where student-athletes from all sports intermingle. If you walk into Slocum, you will likely see a table with a football player, diver, soccer player, golfer and swimmer all having a blast eating together. The diversity is something truly special and inspiring.
In Slocum, we are all just college kids trying to enjoy a good meal and a refreshing break. WE are able to make friends from different backgrounds, countries and athletic teams. Some of my best friends play other sports, and with the busy lifestyle we live, sometimes Slocum is the only place I can see them on a regular basis.
Slocum is one of the most useful and impressive facilities on Texas A&M's campus. The benefits of this facility for student-athletes are apparent, and I am truly happy that I am able to be a part of Aggie Athletics during this time of growth and achievement.
Road to 26 Announcement Press Conference
Thursday, April 09
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Halftime: Florida
Saturday, October 11
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Halftime: Mississippi State
Saturday, October 04
Fightin' Texas Aggie Band Halftime: Auburn
Saturday, September 27
