By Ellen Smith
Vending machines at PHS offer a variety of sports drinks for students. Photo by: Ellen Smith
Whether walking through the lunch line at school, or grabbing a drink at the gas station, sports drinks are one of the most widely available beverages for purchase.
Sports drinks have only been around for a few decades, but they now dominate the sports world, from the Olympic level right down to Plymouth High School. The classic act of dumping a tub of Gatorade or other sports drink on a coach after a big win has evolved into a quintessential part of sports as people know them today. Sports drinks are a big part of the culture of the nation and the world.
One of the first recognizable sports drinks to rise to fame was Gatorade. Gatorade is one of the most common drinks identified by PHS students. Sophomore Jessica Group says the main sports drinks she knows are “Gatorade and Powerade.” However, freshman Taylor Scott says “I don’t really know any [brands].” Now, newer brands like Powerade and Vitaminwater are also very popular sports drinks.
There are many different kinds of sports drinks out in the market today. Vitaminwater is one of the newest available ones. This drink is marketed as a healthy substitute for soda as well as a sports drink, because of its many vitamins. However, lately controversy has come up on whether Vitaminwater’s claims to be healthy are true. True or not, vitaminwater comes in a wide variety of flavors and colors for consumers to enjoy.
Powerade is another sports drink that is seen quite often. Powerade is the official sports drink of the Olympic Games, while Gatorade is the official sports drink of the National Football League. Now Powerade is also the official beverage of many other professional sports, like NBA, PGA and MLB—basketball, golf and baseball respectively. Athletes drink beverages like Gatorade for many reasons besides for energy. Scott believes that one of the reasons why athletes use sports drinks is “because they taste good.” However, there may be more to it than flavor. Freshman Kyle Barry believes that athletes drink sports drinks “for endorsements. That’s about it.” It is true that many companies will pay lots of money for a famous athlete to endorse their products. The competition between the beverages Gatorade and Powerade is always existent. Both Vitaminwater and Powerade are Coca-Cola products, while Gatorade and other spin-offs like Propel and SoBe are made by Pepsi-Cola. The drink industry is very diverse.
Sports drinks are successful because they can claim something that water cannot—sports drinks contain nutrients to replenish the body. However, Barry feels otherwise. He generally drinks “water during events, because [sports drinks] dehydrate you first.” Freshman Luke Schumacher prefers “sports drinks, because they taste good and give you minerals.” It is true that the salts in sports drinks can dehydrate instead of refuel.
During an extensive period of workout or exercise, the body loses more than just water through sweat. It also loses salts and nutrients through the pores, and after a certain time the body needs to be replenished. Sports drinks replenish the body with water and with nutrients, like salts, minerals, and electrolytes. Sports drinks can help give players their “second wind” during strenuous physical activity. This ability to replenish is the reason why sports drinks claim to be superior to ordinary water.
Sports drinks do not only exist in the United States. They are present throughout the world. Powerade is one of the most popular sports beverages because of its status as the official drink of the Olympics. Drinks like Gatorade can be found everywhere, even in school. Drinks like Powerade, Vitaminwater, and Gatorade are common sports drinks available for sale in vending machines, or in the lunch line. Even with so many drinks like Gatorade available in many places, Scott adds “I do not really drink sports drinks, though.” Gatorade has even made a new line of drinks named G2. G2 is not a sports drink, but a type of flavored water that is now commonly seen in schools. Plymouth High School sports vending machines offer many varieties and flavors of drinks, from Powerade to Vitaminwater. Group agrees with Scott, saying she “does not drink sports drinks very often.” Sophomore Bob Byers also says he “rarely has” sports drinks, but when he does he likes “Gatorade, because it tastes like grapes.” Sports drinks are found almost everywhere a person goes.
Beverages like Gatorade and Vitaminwater have really changed the lives of athletes and the common person. These sports drinks replenish exhausted athletes with extra nutrients, and are also a very popular drink outside of the sports arena. From their conception at the University of Florida to today, sports drinks have changed lives. Now they are one of many cornerstones to American culture and sports. This classic drink is here to stay.