Early dinner is too early. As a varsity basketball player, early dinner often leaves me very hungry after practice, which leads me to ordering food again and again. Many athletes feel the same way.

Being a varsity athlete comes with a demanding schedule that all athletes have to abide by. Early dinner starts around 4:00 p.m. and ends at 4:45 p.m. Athletes usually get done with a strength session with Blayne Lapan, Strength and Conditioning coach, then head right over to dinner to eat.

After you eat, you don’t have time to relax and digest your food. Right at 5:00 athletes head back to the gym, rink, or field to get dressed and warm up for practice that goes until study hall. Basketball practice typically ends at 7:30, and late hockey practice can go until 8:00, meaning these athletes miss the 5:15 – 7:00 dinner window.

Some athletes admitted they don’t eat enough because they’re worried about practicing on a full stomach.

Varsity basketball player John Kelly ’19 said he doesn’t eat a sufficient amount when he goes to early dinner because of the worry of being slowed down on the court after.

“If I eat too much I can’t do my best in practice because I’m too full,” John said. ” I believe that [early dinner] is way too early.”

Athletes are generally still hungry after their practice and tend to order out to multiple spots in Easthampton.

John Kelly states, “I’m very hungry after practice I have to spend my hard-earned money or my parents’ hard-earned money to purchase Antonio’s.”

Practices can go from 1 and a half hour to 2 hours. Student athletes can’t take a shower and walk somewhere to go eat. Since study hall is right after practice there’s a rule that if you order for delivery, the food can’t come to the dorm till after 10:00.

Basketball players aren’t the only ones that dislike early dinner. Squash player Poojaa Prakash Babu shares her thoughts on having early dinner.

“I think its too early because… since there’s no snacks in the dorm from like 8 – 10 especially when I’m doing homework, I get really hungry” Poojaa said. “I order out a lot but it’s hard to order out everyday and I just end up eating cupped noodles.”