We’re so excited to announce our newest CF Nutrition brand partner, Pro Golfer Sierra Brooks. Sierra turned pro in 2019, played in two LPGA events in 2020, and will play full-time on the 2021 Symetra Tour this year. Her favorite part of her job is getting to consistently work at becoming the best athlete and person she can be—and she hopes to inspire the next generation as a relatable role model along the way. As a health-conscious athlete who understands the powerful role nutrition plays in fueling her performance on the course, Sierra is excited to partner with a team that formulates honest, natural products she believes in.
From her favorite ways to mentally recharge off the course—to the thing she always keeps in mind when scrolling through social media—read our full interview with Sierra below to gain behind-the-scenes insight into her inspiring journey.
For those who don’t know you, can you introduce yourself and just tell us a little bit about who you are and what you get to do for a living?
My name’s Sierra Brooks. I’m 22 years old, from Orlando, Florida—born and raised in Florida. I went to UF and played college golf there, and I turned professional last year. This is really going to be my first full season getting to play the Symetra tour, so I’m just really excited to start this journey into my professional career.
Now being a professional athlete is no easy job, and you’ve spoken about how you’re a believer in ‘getting what you work for’. Can you talk a little bit about the work and dedication you’ve put into getting where you are and where you hope to see it take you?
I’m a believer that hard and smart work pays off and, no matter your profession, reaching that highest level takes a lot of sacrifice and determination. That’s one of the parts I love the most about what I do is getting to work towards my dreams and goals—being the best golfer and person that I can be—and along the way, I’d like to be able to inspire the next generation and be a good role model in my sport. That’s really what it’s all about for me.
You’ve talked about the importance of staying both mentally and physically ‘charged’ when you’re out on the course. What are some daily practices/routines you’ve adopted to keep that mental and physical sharpness when competing?
It’s definitely been a learning process for me since I’ve turned pro. Being able to perform at my highest level does mean being physically and mentally charged. Mentally, I’ve found that finding an outlet outside of golf—in the gym, cooking, or even just getting out my sketchbook and drawing—has been a thing that settles the thoughts and lets me escape that world. And physically, that’s been fitness and nutrition. Especially turning pro, you’re competing week in and week out and you’re not able to be at the gym as much as you would during off-season. Being on top of my nutrition and staying healthy, fueled to perform—that’s been one of the key components for me.
Speaking of physical sharpness and maintaining mental health, what role has nutrition played in your life, both as an athlete and as a young woman?
It’s been a lot of trial-and-error. I started that nutrition aspect of my life in high school, figuring out what I need to be fueled to perform and give the energy to my body that it needs to last me week in and week out. As an athlete, it plays such an important role in our life. Since we’re constantly playing, working our bodies, we need to replenish with the right nutrients and feel good about what we’re putting into our bodies.
But also as a young female, with this generation of social media and the stereotypes that are placed on us as females, at times it’s been more difficult for me to follow the plan that was best for me as an athlete. Scrolling through social media, I’d see the perfect bodies and things that were unrealistic for me to achieve performance. So now I just take that with a grain of salt, understanding what I need to perform. I stick with my nutrition routine and I’m focused on the things that I know feel good and continue to give me the energy to last, stay strong, and feel well out there.
What’s your take on the current nutrition landscape in professional sports? Oftentimes we see some pretty interesting partnerships promoting questionable products- all in the name of maximizing performance. What do you look for in a nutrition label or product to ensure you’re getting your body the best fuel it needs?
It’s crazy, right? Labels can be very misleading. It’s been hard for me over the years to find products that are giving me the right protein and electrolytes that don’t have all these chemicals and additives in them. So I’ve steered away from those ingredients that, really, I don’t even know what they are on the label. And I think that’s why I’m so excited to partner with CF Nutrition because you guys offer natural products, with all the ingredients that are good for you. You know, what you see is what you get and I know that what I’m putting into my body, I’m going to get out of it. It’s a really exciting thing for me, especially with the importance I place on health. To be representing a healthy product is huge.
As we kind of touched on before, professional athletes generally adhere to a certain practice regime or routine in their lives to set them up for success on their playing field. Can you talk a little bit about why you’ve chosen to partner with CF Nutrition and how CF(Rehydrate)® fits into some of those routines you have?
I’m so excited that I have the opportunity to represent CF Nutrition—it just creates incredible natural products that I believe in and with CF(Rehydrate)®, it’s already become an important part of my daily routine on and off the course. For me, the biggest component of being mentally and physically ready is hydration. It’s definitely the main point to have me feeling at my best and highest level of performance.
And finally, you’ve gotten to test and try the product. We’re of course curious to find out if you have a favorite flavor- but also equally as curious to find out what you like about CF(Rehydrate)®. What makes this product different from say Gatorade® or some of these other common rehydration beverages in sports and why is that important to you?
It’s a toss up between Kiwi Strawberry and Aloha Blend—I’m going through them like you wouldn’t believe… I might be replacing water a little bit too much! Last year actually, during my season I was experiencing dizziness and blurry vision on the course midway through my rounds. And I realized, through trying different things, it was from not being hydrated. It was crazy. I would never have thought—I was about to go to an eye doctor! I thought I needed prescription glasses or something. The ball was literally fuzzy. But my parents we’re just like, “You need electrolytes,” and, you know, that ended up being it.
It was tough for me to find something that I felt like was good for me that gave me that hydration on the course. You know you don’t really realize it—I thought I was drinking enough water, but I also needed electrolytes and sodium with it. And with Gatorade® and whatnot, it’s misleading… there’s just so many chemicals, you don’t know what it’s doing. For me, at least, taking in something that’s natural, I feel confident out there on the course that I’m healthy and maintaining myself at a place to perform. CF(Rehydrate)® really gives me what I need and look for out of a drink, especially with the problems that I’ve had. Trying it and testing it out, I already feel, first of all hydrated, but I also have the sharpness, energy, and focus that I need out there.
Well, thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. We’re really excited to see the tour begin and you out there on the course. Any final thoughts or words of advice to women navigating both performance nutrition or just nutritional demands in general, especially as it pertains to becoming a pro athlete?
My advice would be to find and figure out what works for you. Know your routine. And with that—know what you’re putting into your body. For me, knowing the nutrition that I’m taking in, I’m able to feel confident in my lifestyle and my body to last week in and week out. And I think that’s the biggest confidence boost you can give yourself whether you know it or not—to feel healthy and like you’re nourishing your body in the right way. And with that as well, owning your routine and knowing everyone is different. There’s not one that’s perfect but the sooner you become in tune with yourself and your body, the better off you’re going to be. And you’ll be able to be happy and enjoy the process of the journey.
Shop Sierra’s favorite CF(Rehydrate)® flavors today and experience the power of clean, natural, lasting hydration.