Kristin Coggin heavily featured in latest "Welcome Home" episode
Ask anyone in or around the South Carolina football program about Kristin Coggin and the job she and her team does for the student-athletes and they’ll almost certainly tell you she’s one of the most important, sometimes unsung heroes of Shane Beamer’s program.
Coggin, the Gamecocks’ Director of Football Performance and Nutrition since May 2017, was highly featured Wednesday during a segment of the third episode of ESPNU’s Welcome Home: South Carolina Football series.
In the segment, Coggin sits with South Carolina wide receiver Antwane Wells Jr., a transfer in from James Madison this offseason, about his nutrition goals for this season.
“Maintain my weight,” Wells says.
“In season, for sure, and through camp,” Coggin weighs in.
“I never really thought about nutrition goals,” Wells responds.
“Alright, I got one for you: Routine. How to build your nutrition routine or your pro routine,” Coggin says with Wells listening intently.
According to her bio, Coggin is responsible for managing all aspects of performance nutrition for the team which includes coordinating all meals throughout the year, counseling athletes, and analyzing the athletes’ body compositions and hydration needs.
That’s the official version of her job description but she’s come to mean much more than that to many within the South Carolina program.
When Gamecock Central has had the opportunity to interview incoming transfer players as part of our Garnet Trust Exclusives series — players that have college experience with other nutrition programs — they all raved to GC about not only her ability to teach them about food but help them build life skills.
“I’m teaching our players that nutrition isn’t just something you need to perform at your highest level right now, but it’s something that you need for the rest of your life,” Coggin said. “So getting them comfortable with different seasonings, using knifes, making meals, and giving them different protein.”
Wells happens to be one of the players we talked with about the very subject a few months ago.
“Man, when I first came down here, I needed help with a few things and the first person I called up was Kristin,” he said in the Garnet Trust interview. “Man, she’s great. Just having breakfast in the morning. She’s a great woman, just to talk to and get to know. She has a good heart; she has a good soul. She’s always happy, bringing that energy. I appreciate here a lot. She’s wonderful.”
The segment went on to feature defensive tackle Boogie Huntley and offensive lineman Eric Douglas working on a Philly Cheesesteak and then MarShawn Lloyd making a salmon roll.
“We’ve been doing this now, this is Year 6 for me, it started out as a couple of our players on one flat top making chicken and now here we are making street eats and having a blast,” Coggin said in the show.
The cooking demos have not only carried over into the recruiting process but earlier this year South Carolina hosted its own version of Food Network’s Chopped Competition, complete with celebrity guest judges including Gamecock superfan and BBQ extraordinaire Chris Fulmer of the Ultimate Tailgaters.
“It’s just as important as your playbook and lifting and recovering,” Coggin told Wells in the episode. “It’s a huge part of your performance and your recovery and the quick turnover. You’re at a higher level now ball, all that kind of stuff.”
Wells is hoping his newfound attention on performance nutrition will help him make the successful leap to the SEC.
“She has breakfast made for you, cooking demos,” Wells said. “It kind of makes this experience more fun, not just focusing on football, football, football. You get to get out of the workout, go do your homework, come back and cook and enjoy the music that she’s playing. It’s just good and she’s always going to have a smile on her face and just make sure you’re good and happy and outside of football she’s going to be there for you also.”
Welcome Home: South Carolina Football is an all-access five-part video series on Gamecock Football, designed to give fans behind-the-scenes access to second-year head coach Shane Beamer, the program’s assistant coaches, players, and staff, as they prepare for the 2022 season.
University of South Carolina Athletics, in a partnership with JM Associates and Executive Producer and president of Sport & Story Bo Mattingly, is producing the 30-minute show which will air each Wednesday for five total weeks at 7 on ESPNU.
