MEXICO, NY – The Mexico Varsity football team’s thirst for chocolate milk paid big dividends.
In recognition of the Body By Milk MVPs at Mexico High School, the got milk? campaign visited the high school Tuesday for a celebratory Refuel Rally.
They presented the team with a $1,000 grant, plus $1,000 from Adidas for new equipment and more.
“A couple weeks ago, I was walking down to practice and Mr. (Brian) Clark, who is our groundskeeper, saw me and Jacob Burke (another captain) and he told us he had apparently entered our team in this contest last year and we won this year,” explained Mitch LaBouef, a senior captain. “We received $1,000 for equipment and $1,000 to spend for whatever we want to spend it on.”
He said chocolate milk is just the right drink after a hard practice.
How much does he drink?
“A lot,” he said. “I drink a lot of milk. I like chocolate milk a lot. It’s better for you after a workout. It has the right amount of sugars and carbs and protein and all that stuff.
Some of the team members work out at a Syracuse training center. The trainer always told them to drink chocolate milk, he noted.
“He told us not to worry about a protein drink or anything like that. Chocolate milk was better for us; go get a half gallon of chocolate milk and drink it, LaBouef said.
Julie Curry officially announced Tuesday that The National Milk Mustache “got milk?†campaign had designated the Mexico Tigers Varsity football team as Body By Milk MVP (Milk’s Valued Players).
The team was nominated to be part of the first-ever nationwide Refuel Your School contest, which rewards high school athletic teams that choose chocolate milk to refuel and rehydrate after that big game, practice or workout.
Clark, a longtime Tigers fan, submitted a photo to the Refuel Your School contest showcasing how the team refuels with chocolate milk, Curry explained.
Clark explained that he was “just playing on the computer” found the site and fill out the application and submitted it.
The photo scored the Tigers a place as one of 25 teams nationwide (and only one in New York State) to be named a Body By Milk MVP by got milk? and the School Nutrition Association, she continued.
“We all know that chocolate milk tastes great, right guys?” she asked members of the team assembled in the high school cafeteria for the rally.
“Right!” the players, and several students having lunch in the cafeteria sheered.
Chocolate milk contains nine essential nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D to maintain bone strength, and high-quality protein that helps build muscle when combined with exercise, Curry said.
Three 8-ounce glasses of low-fat or fat-free milk are recommended each day, which provides about half of the protein teenagers need each day.
“There’s no substitute for milk,” said Mexico High School Athletic Director, Randy Barnes. “I encourage players to eat and drink nutritious foods – and always include chocolate milk as part of their recovery routine to stay hydrated and to build strong muscles.”
Coach Tee Murabito thanked the local Byrne Dairy for supplying the milk and the parents’ group “for giving us pre-game dinners every Thursday before Friday night games and certainly chocolate milk is a big part of those dinners,” he said.
He also thanked Adidas for the $1,000 grant. The team and staff will discuss how best to use the funds on equipment they can use for years to come, he said.
As the team members accepted the trophy and their personal medals and T-shirts, LaBouef recognized Clark.
“We’re definitely going to put the money to good use. And we want to thank Mr. Clark for nominating us,” he said.
“It’s a great thing for the school. The whole award is an amazing thing, and we really appreciate it a lot,†Burke added.
Chocolate Milk Steps Up To The Plate
Scientists have evaluated chocolate milk as a post-exercise drink and have identified several reasons why it may be an effective recovery aid: chocolate milk contains a combination of carbohydrates and protein to help replenish exhausted muscles after exercise, provides fluids to assist with rehydration, and it contains “electrolytesâ€ÂÂ, such as potassium and other minerals like calcium, that are lost in sweat.
Go Pro For A Day!
In conjunction with the Refuel Your School contest, the Body By Milk campaign is offering up the VIP experience of a lifetime through the Go Pro For A Day sweepstakes.
From September through November of this year, three teens will receive a trip for two for a once-in-a-lifetime sports experience where they can live a day in the life of sports superstars Dwight Howard, Jozy Altidore or Ana Ivanovic.
Fifty second place winners will receive a $250 Adidas gift card.
For more information, log onto http://bodybymilk.com
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