Wanganui Collegiate athletes eat heaps for Maadi
A rowing team marches on its stomach, and that’s where parents step in to help.
Walking around the paths of Lake Karapiro, there are supporters cheering, athletes preparing and coaching staff sweating in the warm early morning sun.
But what really stands out is a smell.
The smell of chicken.
At the Wanganui Collegiate tent, tent co-ordinators Mark and Alix Taylor have prepared all sorts of meals for their athletes.
“It’s like feeding an army, they need it for it their rowing.
“We provide the food and with a bit of luck they get the results,” Mark Taylor said.
The Taylors have been involved in rowing for 13 years and are in their final year, supporting their son Angus.
Alix said they have 31 athletes to cater for this year and that the parents have done a good job of providing baking for them.
“We stopped ordering pink buns today, because of all the cakes the parents brought,” Mark said.
“We buy 200 buns a day, about 10 cooked chickens, 12 bags of ice and then sliced tomato, shaved ham and grated cheese.”
beside some food bins
in the school tent. Photo: Tom Rowland
One of Collegiate’s rowing coaches Tyler Scott said that the athletes were lucky that the parents fed them so well.
“They’ve got a pretty big intake, they need a lot of calories every day,” Scott said.
Back in Whanganui at school, the students have their breakfast, lunch and dinner at the dining hall, where each meal costs between five and ten dollars.
Scott said the dining hall was “pretty good,” but admitted they needed to change some things to better suit their rowers.
“They’ve got dieticians that work with the dining hall, but I wouldn’t say it’s outstanding, or that the dieticians are specifically aiming at rowing.
“I think they’re aiming at a general calorie rate for kids growing, rather than what the rowers actually need,” he said.
Scott was concerned with the amount of protein the athletes were getting.
“25g of protein is the standard for a meal, I don’t think they’re quite getting that.”
He said it was a matter of rowing staff meeting with the school and dining hall to resolve the situation and also noted that the dining hall has made some positive changes.
“I know that they are getting better quality foods and a better range of foods,” Scott said.
For now at Lake Karapiro, Scott was happy with what was on the menu.
“They’ve got chicken, pasta, sandwiches, biscuits and cakes, it’s good for them to have a bit of sugar,” he said.
“Not too much though.”
