Build Your Base School, Elk River, Wins 5A Football State Championship
MAPLE PLAIN, Minn. — The 2024 football season has ended, and Elk River High School has claimed the title of the 2024 State Class 5A Football Champions. Elk River football participates in the Build Your Base program through the Minnesota Beef Council.
Build Your Base is a comprehensive sports nutrition program that features beef as its premier protein source. Through nutrition education, along with providing pre/post-game beef team meals and beef jerky, athletes and their families are better equipped for a successful sports season.
The Build Your Base program was started by the South Dakota Beef Industry Council in 2017 and in partnership with Sanford Health and the Sanford Sports Science Institute. The Minnesota Beef Council has implemented the program in the state since 2022.
Elk River High School joined the Build Your Base program this past summer in an effort to increase the nutrition for their athletes, specifically in the football program. They utilize the program through nutrition education, team meals with beef, and beef jerky to fuel and recover from workouts.
“One of the greatest factors in our success is having talented athletes that were willing to train all year to achieve their goals,” stated Steve Hamilton, Elk River Head Coach. “Proper nutrition in the off season as well as during the season played a key role in their development. We were able to help prevent injuries and almost totally eliminated cramping in our program.”
Elk River football has a history of competing in the state tournament, winning championship titles in 2016, 2022, and now in 2024. The team beat Andover in the section finals to advance to the state tournament. At state, they defeated Monticello and Chanhassen, placing them in the finals, eventually beating Alexandria 33-24 to claim the State Championship title.
Steve commented, “Becoming State Champs is a dream come true. It is the ultimate goal for every player and coach that participates in football. It is an extremely satisfying feeling knowing that all the work and dedication by the players and coaches helped to lead to this unbelievable accomplishment!”
To learn more about Build Your Base, visit buildyourbase.org.
###
About the Minnesota Beef Council
The Minnesota Beef Council was established in 1967 and is funded and managed by beef farmers and ranchers. Through the Beef Checkoff Program, $1 is obtained for every head of cattle sold. The council utilizes promotion, research, and education to strengthen beef demand and improve the marketing climate of beef. To learn more about beef, visit mnbeef.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at Minnesota Beef.
