At Placer High School some of the coaches and athletes are expressing and questioning the importance of proper nutrition.

            Many people don’t understand the importance of the foods you put into your body and it’s correlation to the energy you spend and the calories you burn. Although not all coaches at Placer High School stress the importance there are many that do.

            “I don’t think they realize the importance,” stated coach and teacher Eric Rodarte, “Most athletes don’t realize the amount of calories they burn and how much they have to eat.”

            Rodarte and the other football coaches hand out nutrition packets to there athletes every year. He recommends that his athletes eat 6 meals a day, sometimes even 7. Rodarte thinks that it isn’t just important during the football season, and that it is just as important if not more in the off season when they are working out in the weight room and trying to get stronger.

            “It’s sad how many kids don’t eat breakfast,” declared Rodarte, “I think the two most important meals of the day are breakfast and directly after you work out.”

            Rodarte believes that it is extremely important to eat 30 minutes after a work out. Maybe not a full meal but something like a turkey sandwich or a protein shake. If you eat you are more likely to be less sore and less fatigued.

            “[if you don’t eat] it’s not a total waste but you waste an opportunity to take care of what you just did [working out],” stated Rodarte.

            Many also believe that what you eat the night before a big race or game is important too. Lot’s of carbohydrates are recommended and many athletes eat good hearty meals like pasta and things with whole grains. A lot of caches and athletes would go so far as to say that what you eat the night before can effect your outcome.

            “One time I had Taco Tree the night before a big race and I felt sick and didn’t think I did as well,” thinks junior Cameron Brown.

            Often, you hear people talk about what you eat the night before but some people think what you eat the day of a game, race, or intense workout is even more important.

            “We focus more on the day of, we usually have some sort of pasta about three or four hours before a game,” stated Rodarte.

            Rodarte recommends things such as ham, turkey, or tuna sandwiches, egg whites, protein shakes, whole grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, fruits and vegetables, and lots and lots of water. As a cross country and track star brown likes to eat pasta and peanut butter sandwiches, he also stresses the importance of water.

            So whether your lifting weights, running, or any other form of athletics don’t underestimate the importance of eating healthy and eating enough.