Student Ambassadors Talk with David Bruton, Jr.!

Recently the Fuel Up to Play 60 Summit Ambassadors got to talk with David Bruton, Jr., Safety and Special Teams Captain of the Denver Broncos about Fuel Greatness and the importance of a healthy breakfast. Check out excerpts from their conversation below!

DB: Fuel Greatness is something that I am so, so proud to be a part of. I remember a lot of my great moments and I think back, what do I do on those great moments? When I have a great game for the Denver Broncos, when I have an interception or I block a punt, I think, what did I have that day for food? And it always comes down to our pre-game meal, and it always happens to be around breakfast time. So every single day, every game day, I try to duplicate that and try to make that part of my routine because, with that in my system, I feel like I play great, I have the right energy, you know, I went about my day the right way. I felt like I was able to focus a lot more, react a lot quicker because I had the proper food in my system. And as a professional, it’s all about routine and I feel if you can get in a routine where health and wellness, and you are putting the right stuff in your body on a daily basis, it’s just going to bode well for you.

Eating breakfast every day, eating healthy every single day – you are building that new habit and for kids your age — you’re fueling developing bodies, you’re feeding a growing brain, a growing mind, so why not give yourselves the best opportunity to succeed? The success doesn’t just happen in a day. Success happens from constant and consistent days of work and dedication. And that’s what eating well is.

Alaina, MO: My question is, what is your favorite healthy snack that you can grab quickly and run with?

DB: I usually grab a lot of quick snacks especially for when I’m going on a bike ride or going to the gym – it’s a lowfat vanilla yogurt with granola and either strawberries or blueberries in it and that gives me enough energy to get through a long bike ride or a strenuous workout. That is definitely my healthy snack of choice.

Andrew, WI: What really motivates you to want to eat healthy?

DB: What motivates me is not only my job, but the platform that I have from the job, you know, to be an example to youth. I know how important it is to eat well and perform well in school. If I was in school or if I was going to a meeting, I feel like I have to eat well, just so I can be better focused in that room or in that meeting.

Jacob, AL: How does your team Fuel Greatness during the season?

DB: We Fuel Greatness every single time we play. And with me specifically, it’s about when I do tweet what I had for breakfast and then I go out and have a great game, you know that it shows that continuity, that connection between a good breakfast and performance on the field. By being a Bronco, showing our face at Fuel Up to Play 60 events and spending time with the kids, which shows that we care and we are all about Fueling Greatness.

Jake, NJ: How do you motivate your teammates to do what you do?

DB: We all have a common goal; we all want to win. It’s not just win for each other, but also, win for the name on your back, because that’s your family name. So there’s all types of different ways or circumstances that I have to motivate guys differently. You know, first game of the season, you’re talking about let’s get the game started right, let’s get the season started off right, let’s set the season in motion how we want it to go. And then, it comes to Playoffs. And then, okay, it’s one game at a time, let’s take care of this one first, don’t look ahead. We take care of them, then we worry about the next one; it’s a four game tourney to get to the Super Bowl. So it’s all different, but I know how I am speaking in meetings, how calm, how laid back and chill that I am, that I am in a meeting, or giving a speech or whatever, during on the football field, it’s a whole different animal. I’m very hyped, I’m very excited and blessed with that opportunity. I just gather the team together and know that we worked all week for one common goal. We put in the time for one thing, so let’s go get it, let’s go do it big.

Greatness is being distinguished. Something that is going to be permanent, long-lasting. That’s what I see as greatness. You know, everyone is going to remember the greatness of the Broncos in the 97-98 seasons with the Super Bowls. Everyone is going to remember the greatness of Butler for intercepting that ball at the goal line vs. Seattle this year. Everybody’s going to remember Jacob from Alabama for starting a movement, a petition of some sort and changing his school recipes and school lunches and implementing Grab and Go. I think greatness is basically a concept of superiority. It’s your natural ability to lead, it’s your natural ability to go above and beyond what’s expected. Everybody expects students to just go to school and just get by and no one expects the students to eat well and eat the right stuff and go to class and perform not just better than expected, but perform great in every single thing that they do. So I just think greatness is a quality of being distinguished, being one of a kind. And everyone can be great, everyone has the capability of being great, it’s the desire to be great.