North Carolina State University Athletics
Video: Meet Sports Nutritionist Kate Kirby
10/8/2013 12:00:00 AM
Oct. 8, 2013
NC State took the initiative in 2012 to hire a full-time nutritionist in Kate Kirby, just for its student-athletes. As of 2012, only 18 Division I programs had employed this position full-time and in 2013 it rose to more than 40 Universities. NC State is once again leading the pack.
Kirby spends countless hours working with the basketball student-athletes at NC State, determining what they have eaten and how to improve what they are putting into their bodies. Most of her time is spent implementing a personalized program to benefit each member of the basketball program to maximize his production.
Players will come into the locker room and see a nutrition fact posted on the door to help stress the importance of what they are eating. She does this to educate players so when they move on to the pro ranks they will have the knowledge to become their own nutritionist.
Kirby sits down with all athletes on a regular basis. "I do this to build a personal relationship with each athlete so they can understand the impact nutrition has on their play," said Kirby. A key component to her program is that she takes each player out grocery shopping to teach them the best possible purchases for maintaining proper nutrition while staying resourceful.
When Kirby meets a new athlete, she sits down with his to assess his needs. She asks the player about his background and gets a feel for the player's diet. "Some kids want to know the facts while others just want you to tell them what to eat, but I always try and build an understanding with each athlete I meet to help them perform," Kirby explained.
"My favorite part of my job is seeing the transformation in athletes and the impact these programs have on their bodies," said Kirby. Former NC State standout Richard Howell is tremendous examples of this. With help from a nutritionist, Howell transformed his body into excellent condition, and earned All-ACC honors as a result.
"Richard made huge strides and really bought into what was asked from him, the transformation we made in his body and eating habits is a true testimony to the importance of nutrition and hard work," explained Kirby.
Another more current example of Kirby's impact is in sophomore forward T.J. Warren. An ACC All-Freshmen Team pick in 2012-13, Warren trimmed down noticeably to prepare for this season. He lost approximately 20 pounds and is poised for a standout 2013-14 season.
Kirby goes on to give very simple tips that all student-athletes can start doing. Drinking more water is her number one tip to improve nutrition. Kirby gives lots of useful tips on how to balance calorie intake and the importance of carbohydrates before competition.
As a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, Kirby is experienced in the hands-on fuel and recovery of athletes, as well as the science behind it. She takes what she knows about nutrient metabolism and sport training and makes it useful for the day to day lives of athletes. "For example, knowing how long it takes fatty acids to digest and absorb and translating that into how much and how often a basketball athlete should be adding fat to meals and snacks," Kirby says. "I also closely consider any clinical aspect of the individual and work with that information to ensure that all bases are covered for that athlete."
Kirby has received both her undergraduate degree in nutrition and food science and her master's degree in sports nutrition from Auburn University and NC State offers her expertise for its student-athletes full-time. She understands the difficult challenges athletes face every day and she has seen it first-hand. When it comes to nutrition and helping athletes, NC State has a clear advantage by having Kirby working with the student-athletes in the basketball program.
