For years BYU trainer George Curtis heard about pickle juice as a way to combat cramps, but he never had the courage to try it. Until this football season. Knowing the Cougars had several games in high humidity climates and hot weather, Curtis investigated the liquid, and players began imbibing.
“I’ve cramped up and needed an IV or a shot in the 40 games I have played in at BYU before this year,” says fullback Kalani Sitake, a senior from Kirkwood, Mo. “Some people say it’s a placebo effect, but it works for me, and I haven’t had any problems this year.” Of course, “It doesn’t taste very good,” says Sitake.
The low-down: BYU players guzzled one and a half gallons of pickle juice at Florida State and two and a half gallons at Virginia; Cougars drink three to four ounces of pickle juice one hour before the game and another two ounces at halftime; Sitake leads all Cougars by sipping pickle juice every half-hour during the game, consuming 10 to 12 ounces per game.
