Megan Rapinoe talks crafting cocktails, avoiding hangovers, and 'the athlete drink'

• Megan Rapinoe and her fiancée, WNBA star Sue Bird, aren't "super artisan" when making cocktails.
• She said partnering with Smirnoff helps her feel like she has a craft cocktail she made herself.
• Insider spoke to Rapinoe about her favorite drinks, how to avoid hangovers, and "the athlete drink."

Megan Rapinoe can't always drink, but when she does, she likes to make it count.

The US Women's National Team superstar has to be careful with alcohol since her career depends on her body remaining in peak form. But she and her fiancée - WNBA superstar Sue Bird - still like to dabble in cocktail creation on occasion, she told Insider.

"We do a little bit!" Rapinoe said. "Admittedly, both of us are not super artisan when it comes to cocktails sometimes."

Rapinoe has been partners with Smirnoff for over a year, which undoubtedly helps her and Bird with their mixology exploits. Her most recent campaign with the world's largest vodka brand is devoted to helping support Black women-owned businesses. Smirnoff has committed to donating $50,000 to Black Girl Ventures, which helps provide Black and Brown women entrepreneurs with resources and funding.

As part of the gig, Rapinoe will be co-hosting a virtual barre class via SideBarre, a Black women-owned fitness studio based in Washington, D.C. But given the OL Reign striker's well-documented struggles with Peloton, she's understandably nervous about leading a semi-public workout class.

"Obviously, I'm a fit person - I play the sports for a living," Rapinoe said. "But, no, I'm probably going to get my ass kicked in this and be in much need of that big bottle of water and a full drink that I'm going to make myself at the end."

It'll need to be a strong one, it seems. But Rapinoe said she doesn't often venture too far beyond "the athlete drink" to avoid trying "to do too much and then having it be a mess."

"Vodka soda is the athlete drink," she said with a laugh. "I'm an athlete, so I gotta keep it tight. So [after the class] it's gonna be a little Smirnoff something and soda."

"I'll get a little bit more adventurous if I'm out at a cool bar, but I just want a baseline of what I know that's going to be good," Rapinoe added.

When it comes to avoiding the dreaded hangover, the pink-haired superstar does her best to steer clear of excess sugar. Sometimes the resulting drinks can be a little boring, but Rapinoe plugged Smirnoff's new Zero Sugar Infusions as an exciting option that doesn't come with the next-day hassle.

"They actually have a really bomb flavor that's coming out, and it's zero sugar, which is nice because sugar is really what crushes you in the hangovers," she said. "And nobody needs those extra sugars."

"It's lemon and elderflower," Rapinoe added. "So it's kind of a nice, herbaceous - feeling like I got a craft cocktail, but I was able to make it myself."

The "Meet Me at the Bar(re)" event co-hosted by Rapinoe and SideBarre is scheduled for Wednesday, March 31, from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. ET. Fans can sign up for the class and the Q&A session that follows on the SideBarre site - in fact, the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner insists that you should join her.

"Tell people to sign up," Rapinoe said. "Hopefully, spots are filling up soon, but it should be pretty fun. Get a chance to get a little community, get a little workout. We'll have a fun Q&A and just have a good time together."

"So sign up now, make sure you secure your spot!"