Athletic thought leaders share dairy’s story

Dairy checkoff reaches new audiences with Kansas City Chiefs.

Midwest Dairy partners with thought leaders who can positively showcase dairy in their professions and community. Through thought leaders, checkoff builds trust and credibility for dairy by consistently providing an already tuned-in audience with valuable, accurate information. For example, Midwest Dairy has successfully partnered with influential athletic thought leaders to become their resource for all things dairy to share with their followers. From high school coaches to professional sports teams, there is an opportunity at all levels.

This year the Kansas City Chiefs Hometown Grant reached youth football coaches, college-level and high school girls flag football players and 10 to 12-year-old girls flag players.

In late April, Midwest Dairy, USA Football, and the Kansas City Chiefs collaborated to provide a nutrition session for youth football coaches presented by Leslie Bonci, sports dietitian for the Kansas City Chiefs and National Dairy Council ambassador.

Coaches were welcomed by Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs kicker and Fuel Up to Play 60 player ambassador, who shared how he uses dairy to fuel his performance. The day was full of activity, starting with the youth national flag football regional championship games, an area National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics women’s flag football conference championship game, and ending with a high school girls flag football combine. Messaging about the benefits of dairy for athletes was also shared on the in-stadium Arrowvision jumbo-screen.

All high school girls in attendance received a Chiefs/Fuel Up to Play 60 logo drawstring bag, including sports nutrition resources and two dairy decals. Additional bags and resources were shared with the 10 and 12-year-old girls’ flag teams from the Girls Play Flag Football program.