Eat Like a Blazer | Gavin Pollard ’24

Gavin Pollard ’24, originally from Lumberton, New Jersey, is a senior pitcher on the Blazers baseball team at Hood College. He is majoring in integrated marketing communications and wants to work in advertising and marketing for a professional sports team.

He chose to atten Hood because he was recruited here for baseball and was intrigued by Downtown Frederick. Pollard is a captain of the team, and he enjoys helping his teammates both on and off the field.

When asked what Thanksgiving meant to him, Pollard said, “Thanksgiving is a time to spend with friends and family as well as eating good food and reflecting on the past year.” He plans on spending Thanksgiving with his family in New Jersey, and his favorite part is seeing his cousins and extended family that he does not get to see very often. They watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade every year as a family and follow that up by watching football.

Nutrition is a big part of the student-athlete lifestyle. During this time of indulgence, there are some healthier options to choose from when making your Thanksgiving Day plate. Pollard recommends staying high in protein with options such as turkey or ham. He also suggests limiting dessert and being cautious of sugar intake.

“Being consistent with your diet can go a long way with training and having an active lifestyle; it is a very underrated part of being a student athlete,” said Pollard.

Having a consistent and balanced diet can be hard to achieve over the holidays, but selecting the healthier alternative can go a long way when it comes to training and being a student-athlete.

Pollard’s favorite Thanksgiving food is mashed potatoes because his grandmother makes them the best every year. His ideal Thanksgiving meal consists of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and stuffing.

“Thanksgiving is one of the best days of the year,” said Pollard. “Family, food and football can never go wrong.”