Generation Z youth in middle and high school rank the lowest when it comes to trust in dairy. Research also shows that dairy consumption starts to fall at this age, making it important that checkoff reaches them. To do this, Midwest Dairy is partnering with different organizations to connect with athletic coaches who can help share how nutrition plays a key role in an athlete’s performance. These coaches are ideal partners. They have built trust with their student-athletes and have a big influence on what they consume.
In 2023, Midwest Dairy partnered with the Nebraska Coaches Association, which reached 4,300 athletic coaches across the state. Checkoff shared nutrition information about dairy’s role in refueling before and after exercise with this group of middle and high school coaches. Midwest Dairy also partnered with Registered Dietitian Angie Asch with Eleat Sports Nutrition in Nebraska to develop infographics and article content inspiring coaches and young athletes to fuel with dairy pre-workout, post-workout, on the road, as well as on and off the field. The content was well received, with an average newsletter open rate of 67.8 percent.
During the 2023-24 school year, checkoff also provided nutrition information to North Dakota coaches to help their middle and high school-age students perform their best. The resources from the Nebraska partnership with Registered Dietitian Angie Asch were shared with the North Dakota High School Coaches Association (NDHSCA) and published in the Dakota Coach electronic newsletter. The Fall issue featured information on pre-workout nutrition and provided practical information on what to eat before practice, and the Winter issue featured tips for eating healthy while traveling to and from a sporting event. Over 1,500 coaches and athletic trainers are members of the NDHSCA and receive the Dakota Coach newsletter. The nutrition information was also published in the South Dakota and Nebraska High School Coaches publications.
Lastly, Midwest Dairy partnered with the South Dakota Coaches Association and Athletic Directors. This partnership reached about 2,000 coaches and athletic directors across the state via email, newsletters, and social media. Midwest Dairy again used Nebraska’s Registered Dietitian Angie Asch’s infographics and article content from above to build and promote dairy messaging.