Pierer, SD.- Student athletes from 47 South Dakota high schools and eight universities, including schools in the Rapid City and Black Hills areas, will benefit from the Build Your Base sports nutrition program for the 2025-26 school year.
The program, which features beef as its premier protein, aims to equip athletes and their families with the materials, education, and high-quality protein necessary for a successful sports season and optimal performance. Several local institutions, including Rapid City Central, RC Christian, Black Hills State University, and South Dakota Mines, are participating in the statewide initiative.
Build Your Base is operated by Beef Logic, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families and communities and promoting the positive benefits of beef.
“We are excited to be working alongside our partners to deliver the program to students and their families across South Dakota as we show them how beef can be a premier part of their training program,” said Suzanne Geppert, Executive Director of Beef Logic Inc. “Our program Build Your Base makes nutrition approachable and practical, helping people build healthy habits that fuel performance on the field and well-being beyond it.”
Partners collaborating on the community-based initiative include the South Dakota Beef Industry Council, Sanford Health, Jorgensen Land and Cattle, Western Legacy Foundation, Monument Health, and various other agricultural and health organizations.
Each participating school receives ready-to-use materials and resources to encourage success both on and off the playing field. The program is designed to ensure student-athletes are hydrated, replenished, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Dalton Wademan, Activities Director for Spearfish School District, shared the positive impact the program has had in the Black Hills. “Spearfish School District has been involved with the Build Your Base program for six years, and it continues to amaze us. This program teaches our student athletes not just about nutrition but also sportsmanship,” Wademan said. “The night before all home football games, we feed the team a steak dinner. We help prepare our student athletes for the game through nutrition and continue to build on team camaraderie.”
Across South Dakota, the program reaches a wide range of institutions. Universities participating include Augustana, Black Hills State, Dakota Wesleyan, Mt. Marty, Northern State, South Dakota Mines, South Dakota State, and the University of South Dakota.
High schools in the program stretch from Alcester-Hudson to Wolsey-Wessington and include Rapid City schools like RC Central and RC Christian, as well as area schools such as Custer, Douglas, Faith, Harding County, New Underwood, and Spearfish.