No athlete wants to lose, unless, of course, we’re talking aboutpounds.

Proper nutrition can almost guarantee an athlete peakperformance. Simpson athletes are educated about the importance ofdiets, but it is left mainly up to them to decide which diets touse, or to even decide if dieting is right for them.

“We do some education on eating the right things,” wrestlingcoach Ron Peterson said. “We control the players’ diets during theday of competition through the use of vitamins and supplements andmake sure they get good energy sources at night.”

Peterson said it’s important for athletes to eat the properthings because it will transfer energy to the muscles, which willhelp the athlete to perform in top condition.

“Nutrition is an important aspect of athletic performance,”Peterson said. “We need to continue to enhance what we do ascoaches.”

According to Peterson, some coaches don’t take nutrition anddieting as seriously as they should. He said it is importantbecause it can determine how the team performs.

“It’s important to talk to wrestlers, especially, about theright things to eat so they can perform and stay healthy,” Petersonsaid.

Junior Cole Christensen, a member of the Simpson wrestling team,also feels that dieting is important but cautions that it can bedangerous as well.

“Starving yourself as a wrestler is a bad diet,” Christensensaid. “You have to be very smart and pick a certain diet to goby.”

Even though Christensen does not partake in any special diethimself, he says eating smart and eating smaller portions combinedwith multi-vitamins help him stay healthy.

According to Christensen, the wrestling team doesn’t participatein a diet collectively, but everybody does their own thinginstead.

“I think diets are a good thing,” Christensen said. “If you’reon a structured plan and eating right, it can help you out as anathlete.”

Sophomore Kenie Woodard, a guard for the Simpson women’sbasketball team, also feels diets are good for athletes.

“It is beneficial performance-wise,” Woodard said. “If you eat alot of fatty foods, then you’ll have a lot of body fat and won’t beable to perform as well.”

Woodard cautions athletes to stay away from fatty foods and tonot eat anything too heavy.

“Don’t eat out every day and night,” Woodard said. “And makesure you get good nutrients.”