Many of the University’s students, both athletes and non-athletes, said they choose to eat at Bryant Sports Grill because of its nutritional value and convenience.
Bryant Sports Grill is an all-you-can-eat dining facility located in the newly renovated Bryant academic building. The primary function of Bryant Sports Grill is to support the calorie and nutritional needs of Alabama’s student athletes, but the grill is open to all UA students.
“The Athletic Department has a nutritionist, Amy Bragg, who works with Bama Dining’s assistant food service director, Nancy Stewart, and Bama Dining’s registered dietician, Hol Coe, in order to ensure that the menu mix meets the daily dietary needs of student athletes,” said Kelsey Faust, marketing and sustainability coordinator for Bama Dining.
“Bryant Sports Grill is owned by the Athletics Department and we provide the NCAA required Training Table meals for Alabama’s athletic teams such as football, baseball and volleyball,” she said. “However, to follow the notion of ‘all students should be treated equally,’ the location is available for all students – athletes and non-athletes alike.”
Training Table meals are expressly set up through NCAA Guidelines. The meal is designed to meet the specific dietary needs of student athletes based on their required intake of calories, sodium, protein and so forth.
“For example,” Faust said, “during football two-a-days the Training Table meals were designed to meet the need of extra sodium intake in order to keep the football players hydrated during practice. Also, the Training Table meals have an increase in proteins in order to support the need of extra proteins when student athletes lift weights as a part of their training regimen.”
Arie Kouandijo, a freshman and one of the nation’s top football recruits in 2010, said he eats at Bryant Sports Grill every day.
“I eat here because it’s convenient,” he said.
Kouandijo is one of many student athletes that live in Bryant Residence Hall. Bryant Sports Grill is located directly between the residence hall and the Bryant Academic Center.
Kouandijo said he appreciates the time and effort the Bama Dining staff puts into planning meals for the athletes.
“I see them down here working when I leave in the morning,” Kouandijo said. “I know they put a lot of time into it. The food is good and I can tell I’m getting a balanced, nutritional meal.”
Terria Punturo, a freshman majoring in accounting, said she likes Bryant Sports Grill best of all the dining halls.
“Lakeside and Burke have more options to choose from,” Punturo said, “but the quality of the food at Bryant is better. I know I’m getting a balanced meal.”
Punturo’s brother, Casey Punturo, a senior majoring in finance, said he eats at Bryant Sports Grill for a different reason.
“I eat here so that I can look like the football players when I leave,” Casey said. “I think I’ve grown already.”
The Grill accepts Dining Dollars, Bama Cash and non-athletic meal plans. Students with non-athletic meal plans must use one of their meals and pay an additional $9.75 for dinner at the Grill. There is no additional fee for lunch.
According to Bama Dining’s website, all students are eligible for an athletic meal plan and do not have to be athletes or on scholarship. Students can purchase an athletic meal plan for an additional $395 per term. For more information on athletic meal plans, students can contact Bama Dining at 348-6816 or at mealplansatbamadining.com.
