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The Dairy Alliance, a nonprofit funded by dairy farm families in the Southeast, is again partnering with college athletes to show how real milk can play a vital role in athletes’ performances on game day. This year in its Milk’s Got Game campaign, the alliance is working with SEC football players Gunner Stockton and Talyn Taylor of Georgia and Jake Merklinger of Tennessee, along with their mothers, to promote how milk supports strength, recovery, and hydration for active lifestyles.
“Growing up, my mom always made sure milk was part of my everyday routine,” Georgia quarterback Stockton said. “It gave me the nutrition needed for practice and helped me push harder on the field. Even now, dairy milk plays a central role in my life, keeping me fueled and hydrated through every game.”
“Since his first steps, it’s always been real dairy — high-quality protein and real hydration,” his mom, Sherrie Stockton, added in a news release.
This kind of partnership is made possible because of the NCAA’s introduction of “NIL,” which stands for “name, image and likeness.” This refers to a player’s legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially, and it has opened up the door extensively for college students to profit more directly off their athletic prowess.
In the Milk’s Got Game campaign, these athletes will take to social media to talk about milk and its 8 grams of protein in every serving, among its other nutritional benefits.
“Real dairy milk gave me the edge when I was training as a kid, and it still makes a difference for me now,” said Taylor, who plays wide receiver for Georgia. “My mom knew the importance of it early on, and I rely on it to stay strong, bounce back, and perform at my best.”
“From the start, real dairy milk played a huge role in keeping me energized and ready to go,” said Merklinger, Tennessee’s quarterback. “My mom made sure it was part of my routine growing up, and it’s still one of the best ways for me to recover after workouts and stay game ready.”
As it were, these two teams just played last week, and Georgia edged Tennessee 44-41 in overtime.
