From Ranch to Court
Jill Townsend grew up on a ranch just outside the small Eastern Washington town of Okanogan. The family ranch was started by her grandparents and great uncle. Today the ranch is run by Jill’s father, his two brothers, and their families.
The Townsends raise cattle and grow wheat, canola and alfalfa. Jill considers herself lucky to be born into the family farming and ranching lifestyle. In Washington, the Townsends are one of about 9,000 family ranches raising beef in every county of the state. Her upbringing on a family ranch allowed her to work closely with her older brothers and cousins, caring for cattle and taking on age-appropriate chores together.
“It was completely normal to wake up to a newborn calf getting warmed up in the kitchen during winter, and falling asleep riding along on the floorboard of a tractor cab. We handpicked rocks in the field in the summer heat and ate trail dust behind the cows on horseback. I feel so lucky to have grown up in this lifestyle.” – Jill Townsend, Okanogan Rancher and professional basketball playerJill didn’t realize how different her childhood experience was until she got to college at Gonzaga University on a basketball scholarship.“There are many ways that growing up on a ranch developed me into the athlete I am today, but I think the most important aspect was a ‘put your head down and do the work’ type of work ethic. For as long as I can remember, I watched my father work from sun up to sun down, ending most days in exhaustion,” says Jill.
Witnessing her father’s work ethic first hand had a big impact on her athletic career. “Summer conditioning workouts aren't fun, playing through a broken nose isn't fun, being so sore I can't walk isn't fun, spending weekends in the gym instead of with my friends isn't fun, but it was what was needed to be done to set myself apart from others. The work ethic I learned on the ranch and from my father is what has helped me overcome adversity, injury, and failure in my athletic career to get me where I am today.”
Today, Jill plays professional basketball overseas in France. She graduated from Gonzaga in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in Biology and minor in Sociology. Later that year, she moved to Osnabrück Germany for her rookie season playing professional basketball. When she is not playing professional basketball in Europe, she spends the season at home working on the ranch.
“My dream for as long as I could remember, has been to travel and see the world. I am beyond lucky that basketball has not only given me the opportunity to experience that dream by living abroad, but also to do it as a job.”
Food For Fuel: The Power of Protein and Beef
Jill credits the nutrition found in beef as part of her athletic success as well, because protein is one of, if not the most important aspects of an athlete's diet. Based on sports nutrition experts’ advice, she strives to get twenty grams of protein within thirty minutes of ending her workouts to reap the full benefits of conditioning. That is because protein is essential to rebuilding the micro tears in the muscles created during workouts, aiding our body’s recovery process, and increasing the ability to perform at the highest level. Beef is an exceptionally nutrient dense food that is high in protein and other important nutrients that can replenish an athlete's tank after a workout.
“I believe that the most important aspect of a healthy diet for all, including athletes, is variety. It's in an athlete's best interest to incorporate a variety of meats, vegetables, fruit and healthy carbohydrates so your body can get all the nutrient requirements it needs.”
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