Caffeine is banned but used by college athletes (2024)

Caffeine is a stimulant that many everyday citizens use to stay awake or wake up, but it is banned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Despite this, some student-athletes still ingest it.

Neumann athletes sometimes use caffeine to their advantage when it comes to performance, and some know how to get the positive effects of caffeine while still staying within the rules of the NCAA.

Rebekah Brosky, from the Neumann Women's LAX team, said, " I don't often drink caffeine, but some games when I feel the need for a boost, I drink it and definitely feel the caffeine helps me."

While it is banned, an average-sized college athlete would have to drink six to eight cups of coffee before competing to result in a positive drug test.

“A small amount of caffeine prior to playing my games, definitely seems to give me the boost of energy I need to perform at my highest level,” said Neumann men's soccer star Chris Siemien, who, without crossing any lines, capitalizes on the positive effects of caffeine. He claims that caffeine is, in his eyes, a beneficial pregame ingredient when used correctly.

Despite the ban, in a fact sheet published by the NCAA, the organization agrees that there are benefits—its boosts energy and coordination—but stresses that caffeine is addictive and has adverse health effects if not consumed in moderation and while hydrated.

College is a tough environment. Students wake up as early as 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. to sit in several long lectures then be asked to exit these settings and step straight onto the playing field where they are not necessarily mentally or physically ready to put their bodies through the gauntlet of physical fatigue.

Last season, Siemien, with a little jolt of caffeine, and Neumann’s men’s soccer team won the Atlantic East championship.