![]()
The presence of a Gatorade representative at a mandatory meeting on hydration for local high school athletes has caused concerns from some parents and an advocate for healthier foods in county schools.
The Friday morning meeting for all Walter Johnson High School athletes taking part in fall sports will include a representative from the sports drink company, who will chat about hydration while also providing samples of the company’s products.
The move caused a stir on the public online listserv of the school’s PTSA this week.
“I have no particular complaint against Gatorade but it seems to me that if Walter Johnson High School is going to set up a meeting to provide information to Walter Johnson students, we need to get objective expert information,” parent Jeremy Karpatkin told Bethesda Beat. “Not information from a company trying to sell its products.”
An announcement of the meeting from Walter Johnson Athletic Director Tom Rogers hit the listserv Tuesday. At least three members of the school community, including Karpatkin, weighed in questioning the Gatorade representative’s presence.
“The fact that samples are being provided suggests that this presentation is focused at least as much on marketing as it is on providing objective and scientific information to our kids about their hydration needs,” Karpatkin wrote.
“I’m surprised to see the school (or the booster club?) supporting one soft drink company and promoting it, in essence Gatorade, especially at a mandatory meeting,” wrote Paula Bienenfeld.
Rogers sent another email Thursday morning in which he said he hoped to clarify the situation after hearing “some confusion and concern.”
“Gatorade has simply offered to provide a sample of their products for the athletes that want to try them,” wrote Rogers, who didn’t return a request for comment from Bethesda Beat.
He said Assistant Athletic Director Jason Campbell would be giving the standard MCPS presentation on safety and hydration during the mandatory part of the meeting. He said the Gatorade representative will address students only after that presentation.
“It is completely optional and they will not be addressing the students as a group. All athletes are free to leave after the MCPS presentation.” Rogers wrote. “Any athlete that wants to sample a Gatorade product may do so. The rep will be there to answer any question that may arise.”
Lindsey Parsons, executive director of Real Food for Kids – Montgomery, said the school system should be promoting water for hydration purposes because products such as Gatorade “provide unnecessary sugar and sodium.”
Gboyinde Onijala, a spokesperson for MCPS, said there is no policy that prevents schools from calling on companies to speak to students.
She also said high school athletic departments already provide their athletes with sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade.
“The speaker is there to address a critical topic for student-athletes,” Onijala said. “August can be a very hot and humid month, so it’s actually a very timely conversation. He’s not there to push his product. He happens to work for Gatorade and he’s giving a presentation on hydration.”
Tryouts and practices for fall sports in MCPS high schools started Tuesday.
Rogers wrote in the original announcement that the speaker from Gatorade “will be providing us with lots of info on hydration/recovery and providing lots of samples of their products. All athletes should plan to attend.”
Gatorade’s “G Series” includes different drinks for the “hydration phase” and “recovery phase,” meant to be used after an athletic event is over.
