Hemp & CBD in Professional Football: Collin Quaner on Training, Nutrition, and Recovery

Collin Quaner from Düsseldorf has achieved just that, as the now 29-year-old has played in recent years for FC Ingolstadt 04, Union Berlin, Huddersfield Town, and most recently for the then English second division team Ipswich Town as a striker. He knows exactly what the professional life entails and therefore not only keeps fit in a sporting sense but has also been paying close attention to his diet for some time now. The football professional, who still lives in England and is now a HANAFSAN football ambassador, tells us in the HANAFSAN interview not only about the chaotic year 2020 but also about the significance of his own body for him and, above all, the major role that the cultivated plant hemp plays in this.

Sport has somewhat taken a back seat in 2020 due to COVID19. How have you experienced the year so far?

The year 2020 has shown, more clearly than ever before, how unconsciously, carelessly, and distanced from nature humanity currently lives. We have almost completely given up and lost our connection to nature and thus to ourselves. Personally, however, 2020 was probably the most productive and effective year of my life. I used the time during our first "lockdown" here in England to engage even more intensely with myself. This means both mentally and physically. During the entire time, we, of course, received a training plan from our club to ensure that we all stay in top shape. Above all, however, in terms of nutrition, I was able to try out and analyze a few things again during this time to see how they affect body and mind. I left my previous club Huddersfield Town in the summer and have been without a club since then. It is a very interesting time for me personally, in which I enjoy continuing to explore my life and myself. Through my new daily routine, I continue to ensure that I stay fit through optimized training, pay attention to my diet, and use the remaining time for other things that I didn't have much time for before.

You say that this time has its benefits? Do people perhaps recognize again what really matters in life?

I think so. We have generally distanced ourselves so much from reality, especially from nature, that perhaps this shows how much humanity has changed. Apart from the real problem, the virus, this time had the positive effect that people sought "contact outside" again, and that is nice. As a child, I was often outside during a time without smartphones, playing basketball and football on the street until late in the evening, enjoying skateboarding or being in the woods with my friends – unfortunately, that doesn't happen much anymore today.

Didn't that also have to do with your parents' upbringing?

Yes, and I think it was just generally different back then. I owe a lot to my parents. Everything they did for me has a strong impact on how and who I am today. My parents always did everything they could and sacrificed a lot to ensure that my brother and I were well. The influence of my father has shaped me a lot. He made us aware of how important things like discipline, patience, ambition, and perseverance are in life. My father is a fighter, just like me. Mutual respect was always very important too. These things continue to shape me to this day and will do so until the end of my life.

You have Ghanaian roots. Your father comes from Africa. What is your relationship with Africa like?

My father was born and raised in Ghana. I love Africa, the African culture, the joy of life, and the spirit of Africa. My parents regularly go to Ghana, and I have also been there several times. Traveling to Africa, especially to Ghana, always feels like a brief change of home. In the summer of 2019, I went on a safari in Kenya with two of my best friends and also did a gorilla tracking tour in the rainforest of Rwanda. For all of us, this time was the most impressive and magical time of our lives so far.

In Africa, you have not yet worked as a professional footballer, but you have been in Europe for a much longer time. Collin, what does this sport mean to you?

Football has accompanied me my whole life since I started playing at the age of five. That's why I've gained a large part of my experiences through the sport. I am incredibly grateful for all these experiences and encounters because football has taught me so much – both about myself and about life and relationships with our fellow human beings. What I have learned most is that football has been my profession so far, but it does not define me. People see me as Collin "the footballer," but for me, it's important that when I look in the mirror, I see Collin "the person." Throughout my career, I have met truly kind-hearted and wonderful people, with whom I still keep in touch and who have shaped me in various ways on my journey. These relationships and experiences are priceless.

What have been the most beautiful moments in your career so far?

At FC Ingolstadt, we had several Brazilians for a long time, one of whom was Caiuby, with whom I spent a lot of time at home. This allowed me to get to know a bit of Brazilian culture. It is generally a time that I really like to look back on, but I also think fondly of my time at Union Berlin. Union Berlin is a very special club with special values, which definitely sets it apart from other clubs. The entire club feels like a big family, and you can feel that. The atmosphere at our home games in front of our fans was always very special. I also had a very special and beautiful time in the last few years in England. The absolute highlight was our promotion with Huddersfield Town to the Premier League in 2017. The experience of having played in arguably the best league in the world is something no one can take away from me.

You have already focused not only on football in Germany but also on your nutrition in England, right? Where did that conviction come from?

What we consume daily, along with the thoughts that swirl around in us, literally shapes the quality of our lives. Many people are not even aware of this. That's why nutrition and the control of my thoughts have absolute priority. For a high-performance athlete, there is a significant difference because he cannot eat poorly for a week, as this would likely directly reflect in his performance. I have also experienced firsthand how much nutrition can positively and negatively affect athletic performance and therefore know its significance in the life of an athlete.

How did you actually come across hemp foods and hemp care products with cannabidiol (CBD)?

Once you delve into the topic of health, one thing leads to another. You try things out, are curious, and keep your eyes and ears open for new things. Nowadays, there is so much information that it is not always easy to distinguish which of it is reliable and trustworthy. However, once you get the hang of it, and also explore the world of plants, herbs, and co., you inevitably come across hemp – fortunately.

What benefits have you noticed from using hemp foods, especially hemp protein, and CBD oils?

I think one of the many special features of the hemp plant is its versatility. Considering that hemp seeds contain all essential amino acids and fatty acids for a healthy human life, that is truly a powerful "superfood." But we also know how important proteins are as building blocks for a healthy life, especially for athletes. However, I believe that this need for proteins is often misinterpreted. I moved away from the common protein shakes, which are still frequently used in professional sports and often based on milk and whey protein, years ago. Since then, I have tried various vegan protein shakes for years and eventually found something suitable for me. After I recently delved more into the positive properties of the hemp plant, I naturally tried products from it myself. In my opinion, hemp foods are very efficient products and require little to no unnecessary additives due to their properties.

The NBA and NFL show a clear trend with their pro-cannabis stance, at least in the USA. Do you think this could spill over to Europe?

I can imagine anything, of course. If these sports and leagues are already leading the way, I can well imagine that it could become a topic in Europe one day. The more the positive and scientifically proven properties are disseminated and enough education is provided about them, the higher the likelihood that this trend will move to Europe. However, I can imagine that the consumption of marijuana will always raise many contentious issues.

How is the topic of hemp and CBD perceived in professional football? Is hemp even a topic there?

In professional football, this has hardly been a topic at all so far. Hemp foods and CBD oils are honestly hardly used in football. However, I can clearly imagine that this is mainly due to associations, leagues, and teams having concerns about possibly contaminated products and that the topic of hemp has always been immediately associated with THC abuse. Education and high-quality products would certainly be helpful for top-level sports.

Do you feel that the image of this cultivated plant is slowly developing in the right direction?

I definitely believe that. I think many people are increasingly coming across hemp foods like hemp seeds, hemp seed oil, and hemp protein and are learning to appreciate the positive properties of nourishing CBD oils. This is certainly also due to the fact that there are now reliable companies like HANAFSAN that provide trustworthy and science-based education and inform about the versatility of the plant in the right way. For me, it is clear: If you leaf through the history books of all cultures, it becomes evident that hemp has already been used in various ways for millennia – that cannot be a coincidence.

Why did you ultimately choose the brand HANAFSAN, and what convinces you most about the company's philosophy?

What convinced me about the brand HANAFSAN was primarily the high-quality quality and organic certification of the products. The product itself is also in the foreground, and that is very decisive for me. Especially for us athletes, quality and transparency are very important. I want to be able to rely on the fact that the top priority of a company is to provide a clean and safe product for the customer. That is the case with HANAFSAN. In addition, there is excellent customer service with a truly remarkable closeness to the customer – exactly what is needed. The product range is also very diverse – from organic hemp protein powder to CBD oil to hand-stirred CBD cream. And the philosophy of creating a balanced added value and wanting to help other people is one that I also represent as a person. That’s why I’m here and proud to be a new HANAFSAN ambassador.

Image source: © Collin Quaner