Gatorade National Player of the Year athletes head to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute for the first time: Here's what they learned

Since 1985, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has recognized the nation’s top high school athletes for their accomplishments on and off the field. And this year, for the first time in the program’s history, those athletes stepped into an entirely new arena.

In early-May, members of the 2025-2026 Gatorade National Player of the Year class visited the Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Frisco, TX for an action-packed day of personalized performance testing, giving them first-hand access to the hydration and nutrition science that has helped Gatorade fuel athlete performance for decades.

The athletes started the day with a stacked series of labs, including an Omega-3 blood test, body composition assessment (DEXA scan), metabolic assessment (RMR) and maximal oxygen consumption assessment (VO2 Max). They received instant results and insights — and one athlete, 2025-26 Gatorade National Boys Cross Country Player of the Year, Jackson Spencer, even clocked one of the highest VO2 Max scores GSSI has ever seen.

“The experience at GSSI was amazing! It was crazy doing the VO2 Max machine during testing and hearing that my results were some of the highest GSSI has ever seen.” Spencer shared after scoring those high marks. “I didn’t expect that, or to learn as much as I did about the science behind Gatorade and how to properly fuel myself for performance. I’m really glad we could do this with Gatorade.”

After this first set of tests, each athlete received personalized insights on what their bodies need to perform at their peak. Then, the group refueled and locked in for information sessions led by GSSI experts, who shared practical tips for everyday nutrition and hydration.

Next up, the athletes hit the outdoor turf for sweat testing, where they were joined by a surprise special guest: Cooper Flagg, former Gatorade National Player of the Year and Dallas Maverick. They took part in a series of sweat-inducing exercises, with Flagg cheering them on every step of the way. And even after all that hard work, the energy stayed high as the athletes moved inside to the basketball court for some drills and a little friendly competition — because when you have an NBA star on hand, who could resist shooting some hoops?

“It’s awesome that these Players of the Year were able to get access to GSSI and its experts and testing early in their career. I’ve gone through some of these tests myself, and they really helped me better understand the science behind my body’s needs, so I know they’re going to take a lot away from this experience.”

After the sweat testing came the cooldown and a final recap session with the GSSI scientists – who sent the athletes home with customized hydration and nutrition insights and fuel plans. And this is just the start, as the athletes will continue to benefit from ongoing guidance from GSSI, ensuring they have confidence in their ability to perform at their peak – both in the next phase of their athletic careers and everyday life.

For Olivia Vukosa, the 2025-26 Girls Basketball Player of the Year, the biggest takeaway was how much there still was to learn about fueling performance at the highest level.

“I honestly would never have known and now I have a better idea of how to take care of myself to show up my best, on and off the court. It’s so cool that Gatorade offers experiences like this as part of the Player of the Year program,” she said.

The visit reflects Gatorade’s ongoing investment in sports science research, and comes as the brand draws upon decades of hydration science expertise to serve a wider range of occasions and consumers.

To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com.